G20 podium
Team Blitz India
MUMBAI: The fire-brand sole Independent MP from Maharashtra, Navneet Rana, is expected to fight the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate. Rana, who has been a vocal supporter of Hindutva ideology, is helping the party corner its nemesis, Uddhav Thackeray.
State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the party was keen on fielding Rana as its candidate. “She has been part of the NDA and we would like her to contest as our candidate on our symbol. Though the final decision will be taken by our Parliamentary board, we would like Rana to be the BJP candidate.”
Rana had won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as an Independent with support from NCP. After victory, the MP had immediately sided with the BJP and has been championing Hindutva ideology since then. She hogged the limelight by announcing to chant Hanuman Chalisa outside the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s office in April last year.
She, along with her MLA husband Ravi Rana, were arrested for inciting people and making provocative statements.
The MP was also in the news for her fake caste certificate submitted to be qualified to contest from the constituency reserved for SC candidates. In June last year, the court cancelled the certificate terming it wrong. The SC later stayed the HC order.
