Date:07/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/07/stories/2008120755170800.htm

National

Congress suspends Rane

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Taking a serious view of his outburst against the party and its leaders, the Congress on Saturday suspended Narayan Rane from the party with immediate effect on grounds of “gross indiscipline.”

“It has been observed that after announcement of the new leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Maharashtra, Mr. Rane is making public statements deliberately with a view to lowering the prestige of the Indian National Congress,” party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said adding that the party considered this a case of gross indiscipline.

Mr. Rane, a former Chief Minister, was with the Shiv Sena before he shifted to the Congress. He was the Revenue Minister in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government.