Narayan Rane

Narayan Rane (born 10 April 1952) is an Indian politician from the state Maharashtra and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He was a Minister for Industry, Port, Employment and Self-employment in the Government of Maharashtra. He was a member of Shiv Sena and opposition leader of Vidhan Sabha until July 2005 before he joined Indian National Congress party.

Political Journey

Rane joined Shiv Sena in his early twenties and started his political journey as local Shakha Pramukh at Chembur, Mumbai. Rane made a humble beginning as the owner of a chicken shop in partnership with his friend and lived in Subhash Nagar - a subsidized housing society for low income families. Then he became the Councillor of Kopargaon. His relentless efforts to consolidate the Shiv Sena in the Sindhudurg taluka, mobilizing large groups of youth and growing popularity as a young dynamic leader caught the eye of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. With the exit of Chagan Bhujbal from Shiv Sena in 1991, Rane gradually rose up within the ranks. In 1999, when Manohar Joshi stepped down from the post of Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Narayan Rane succeeded him.