The stage has been set for lifting of his suspension following his meeting with the defence minister A K Antony and Ahmed Patel, political secretary to the Congress president on Wednesday. Rane was suspended for his anti-party activities after Vilasrao Desmukh was removed from the office of the chief minister.

Rane had then lobbied hard to become chief minister, but lost to Ashok Chavan. He was suspended following his utterance against the party high command. Since, Rane is a powerful leader and has an influential following in the Konkan region, the party leadership decided to take him back, as his suspension could mar the electoral prospects of the party in the state.

Besides, he himself made attempts in this direction and repented for his statements during the course of his meeting with Antony and Patel. Rane has been instrumental in countering Shiv Sena as many of the senior Sena leaders had joined Congress ranks after he quit Sena following his differences with Bal Thackrey and his sons.

Rane who landed in the national capital on Tuesday is expected to meet the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. There is a possibility of Rane being accommodated in the election campaign committee of Maharashtra Congress.#