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Tuesday, Jul 12, 2005

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Uproar over Rane issue: House adjourned

Special Correspondent

Speaker says he will rule on Rane plea after studying it; Desai group demands recognition

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

SHOW OF STRENGTH: Shiv Sena MLAs walking into the Assembly hall in Mumbai.

MUMBAI: Questions arising out of the supposed split of the Shiv Sena created uproarious scenes in the Maharashtra Assembly here on Monday, the first day of its monsoon session and Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar adjourned the House, which could transact no business.

Mr. Kupekar was expected to decide which was the real Shiv Sena and if the expelled Shiv Sena leader, Narayan Rane could seek anti-defection proceedings against any member who did not respond to his whip.

As many questioned the locus standi of Mr. Rane and the jurisdiction of Mr. Kupekar, thousands of supporters of the two Sena factions entered the city. The police threw a cordon around the legislature and barricaded all approach roads besides deploying forces in strength at other sensitive points. When the House assembled amidst sloganeering and jeers, Mr. Rane raised a point of order seeking Mr. Kupekar's ruling on his application demanding unseating of 23 Sena members, who he said had failed to attend a meeting convened by him. Sena members opposed to him shouted him down.

Subhash Desai's demand

Shiv Sena's leading functionary Subhash Desai demanded that his group be declared the original Shiv Sena since Mr. Rane was expelled from the party and had the support of only nine MLAs. Most of what he said could not be heard as the ruling Congress and NCP members created a din.

Mr. Kupekar said that he had received Mr. Rane's application but before taking a decision he would have to examine it thoroughly. This led to a ruckus.

Ministers' complaint

The Speaker adjourned the House twice but that failed to cool tempers. Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil and PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal complained that the Opposition Shiv Sena members were menacingly gesticulating at the Treasury benches.

The ruling party members, who remained calm whenever Mr. Rane spoke or intervened, would not just let Mr. Desai speak. BJP leader Gopinath Munde demanded after the second adjournment that in such circumstances the House be adjourned for the day and the ruling coalition members supported it. Mr. Kupekar said such a suggestion coming from both sides was rather unprecedented. He said he wanted to announce his decision but he could not do so because of the noise and adjourned the House for the day.

Outside the legislature, a huge crowd had assembled near the official residence of Mr. Rane and it occasionally raised pro-Rane slogans. Billboards and banners praising Mr. Rane have sprung up along the main streets of the city.

The Shiv Sena too had made elaborate arrangements to counter the Rane group. The party had brought its loyal members to the legislature in a luxury coach from a suburban hotel. They had been lodged there for the past few days. The party managers feared that some of them could be spirited away by Mr. Rane.

The police heaved a sigh of relief at the end of the day as no untoward incident occurred.

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