Farmers Movement Archive

Amit Shah to inaugurate Narayan Rane’s medical college in Maharashtra

Union home minister Amit Shah is slated to inaugurate the SSPM Medical College at Kudal, in Sindhudurg, founded by a trust chaired by the former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narayan Rane on Sunday. The inauguration assumes significance as the tussle between Shiv Sena and BJP over the political control in the district is at its peak.After the multi-speciality hospital was inaugurated by the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in 2017, the medical college attached to it will be inaugurated by Shah on Sunday.The inauguration, which was originally scheduled for Saturday was postponed due to the nationwide chakka jam agitation announced by the farmers protesting against farm bills on the borders of Delhi.According to the BJP leaders in the state, Shah’s presence at the inaugural function is assumed significant in the backdrop party’s endeavour in resting control in coastal districts. “Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray has been focusing on Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg since it has assumed the power for obvious regions. This has led to the stern political friction between Sena and BJP, who are fighting to wrest control over the region. Amit Shah’s maiden visit to Sindhudurg will help party strengthen its base,” said a BJP leader from Konkan requesting anonymity.Thackeray government recently announced a new government medical college at Oras in Sindhudurg. The move was reportedly to give Rane a tough time as the proposed medical college is just a few kilometres away.Rane said, “All the key party leaders from state and Amitji Shah are attending the inauguration function on Sunday. Our hospital and medical college is the state of the art structure with all facilities. Hospital has over 650 beds, while college has 150 seats.”When asked about the state government’s announcement of setting up a medical college at Oras, Rane said, “The government has not been able to run its existing hospitals, and have announced a new one for Sindhudurg. But we are ready to face the competition.”Rane built his pollical career in Shiv Sena and became chief minister for a brief stint of nine months in 1999. He joined Congress in 2005 and remained a minister in successive Congress-NCP governments. He lost the Assembly elections to the Sena in 2014. He quit Congress in September 2017 and floated his own outfit only to merge it with BJP in a few months. The BJP made him Rajya Sabha member of Parliament (MP) in 2018.Rane has been bete noire of Shiv Sena since his expulsion from the party in 2005.

Hindustan Times

06-02-2021

Mumbai