Mumbai (The Hindu): Senior Congress leader Narayan Rane will finally join the fourth leg of the Opposition’s Sangharsh Yatra scheduled for May 17 and 18 in Konkan. With this, the speculation about his switching over to the BJP has been put to rest.

Since the budget session of the legislature in March, political circles had been abuzz with the talks of his defection. Even video clips were surfaced where he and his son and Congress MLA Nitesh Rane were allegedly seen visiting BJP president Amit Shah’s house in Ahemadabad, along with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Even though Mr. Rane rubbished the video, he had accepted that he has an offer from the BJP and is yet to take a decision.

The miffed Congress leader, who wants to head the State unit of the party, visited Delhi twice and the Gandhi family supposedly sent its emissaries twice to hold discussions with him.

“He is one of the senior most leaders and we want him to join the yatra. We have been informed that he will be joining us on May 18,” said Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil.

When asked about Mr. Rane’s criticism of the yatra, Mr. Vikhe-Patil said his words were wrongly interpreted. “The government had to take notice of it. The Chief Minister’s Samwad Yatra is a victory of our efforts made on ground.”

The fourth leg of the Sangharsh Yatra will start in Raigad on May 17 and end at Banda in Sindhudurg on May 18. The Congress and the NCP have already held the yatra in Vidarbha, Marathwada, North Maharashtra, and Western Maharashtra. The yatra was planned after 19 of the Opposition MLAs were suspended from the Assembly for demanding farm loan waiver.

Mr. Nitesh Rane said his father will join the May 18 rally at Banda. “I will be organising the yatra from the time it enters Sindhudurg.”