Apparently irked by a report in Marathi daily Maharashtra Times, speculating that a sitting Shiv Sena MP was on his way to NCP, alleged Sena workers today attacked the lobby of Times of India building here this morning.
The daily belongs to TOI group. Around 20-25 activists entered the lobby of main building around 1 pm and damaged some furniture and flower pots. They also burnt copies of the newspaper and shouted slogans.
They could not go to the Maharashtra Times office on the second floor thanks to the security staff, newspaper sources said.
However, Shiv Sena spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Raut told PTI that his party had nothing to do with the attack. "Shiv Sena has no hand in this," he said.
"Anandrao Adsul (the MP named in the report) is associated with various organisations," he added.
Police confirmed the incident, and said a team had been sent to TOI building in south Mumbai.
Maharashtra Times, in its today's edition, has carried a a report saying that Adsul may be joining NCP. The report followed announcement by NCP yesterday that an MP from Maharashtra was going to enter the Sharad Pawar-led party today.
It was not Adsul, but former Shiv Sena MP Shivaji Mane, who had joined Congress, today entered NCP.
NCP has netted leaders from Shiv Sena and BJP recently. Panditanna Munde, elder brother of BJP leader Gopinath Munde, joined NCP last week, and his son (Gopinath's nephew) Dhananjay too is likely to follow the suit. Anand Paranjpe, Shiv Sena MP from Kalyan, has also indicated that he would be going over to NCP.
