Maharashtra Congress MLA Nitesh Rane
Two sons of veteran Maharashtra leader and former Chief Minister Narayan Rane were placed under preventive detention by police on Saturday, even as their father made a pitch to enter the Maharashtra Assembly in the bypoll to the Bandra (East) constituency.
Nilesh Rane, a former Congress parliamentarian, and Nitesh Rane a party legislator from Maharashtra, were both detained at the Kherwadi and Vakola police stations respectively, and were released after a short while.
They had been picked up by police for allegedly campaigning during polling for the bypoll, which is a violation of the model code of conduct.
Nilesh Rane denied the allegations and said he was simply having tea with two friends and had no security or party workers with him. He alleged he was manhandled by Deputy Commissioner of Police Satyanarayan Chaudhury who denied the allegation saying the entire process is videographed.
After his release, Nilesh Rane told reporters, "I asked them what my fault was but they did not give me an answer, Shiv Sena leaders are roaming around in the constituency but nobody is doing anything. This is a misuse of power. They know they are losing this election and that is why they are doing this. Police are working under the instructions from the government"
According to reports, Shiv Sena leader Vinayak Raut and AIMIM leader Wariz Pathan had been detained too, and released.
The Bandra bypoll assumes significance as it is a do-or die-battle for veteran leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane. Having lost from his home turf Sindhudurg. For the Shiv Sena, the Bandra (East) bypoll has turned into a prestige battle, with the senior Rane battling to display his clout and the Shiv Sena holding on to the constituency in which its chief, Uddhav Thackeray, lives. The bypoll had been called after the death of the Shiv Sena's Prakash (Bala) Sawant.