Congress: Rane's resignation after allegations of Dawood links is intriguing

New Delhi, Sep 21: The Congress on Thursday termed the resignation of senior leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan T. Rane as "intriguing", remarking that it has come a day after a BJP leader accused him of having connections with absconding don Dawood Ibrahim.

The party demand that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah place in public domain any evidence they have in this regard.

"Only yesterday, a member of the central working committee of the BJP accused Maharashtra leader Narayan Rane of connections with the dreaded terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

"Many television debates happened on the issue. No statement was made on this by Rane or any of his associates," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Sing Surjewala.

"The government also never came forward to verify or to deny the so-called connection with terrorist Dawood Ibrahim," he added.

Surjewala said: "We believe any leader belonging to any political party who has connections with a terrorist like Ibrahim, who is conspiring against India, that link must be exposed and evidence must be placed in public domain.

"But nobody should be maligned in absence of any evidence, and based on innuendos and insinuations. What evidence does BJP have vis-a-vis Narayan Rane?" he asked.

"What evidence does MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who is a friend of PM Modi, have of terrorist connections between NDA leaders and Dawood. All this should be placed in pubic domain. It is also intriguing that first the BJP levels allegations against Rane and the next day he resigns."

He said he would like to discuss the issue with the PCC president and general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra. 

"But incidents of accusation of terrorist links one day and resignation the second day is intriguing," he remarked. 

"Let Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah place in public domain whatever evidence they have," said Surjewala.

On Thursday, Rane and his son Nilesh, an ex-MP, quit the party.