Sena parades 52 MLAs before Speaker

In a show of strength in the face of challenge thrown by expelled leader Narayan Rane, the Shiv Sena today paraded 52 of its MLAs, owing allegiance to party supremo Bal Thackeray, before Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Babasaheb Kupekar.

"The Speaker met each of the 52 MLAs individually. We expect a decision from him regarding the meeting held yesterday", newly-elected leader of the Sena legislature party Ramdas Kadam told reporters at the Vidhan Bhavan here.

Kupekar had asked Shiv Sena MLAs to meet him amidst claim by Rane about the support enjoyed by him in the 63-member Sena legislature party.

The Shiv Sena had yesterday elected Kadam, a staunch supporter of Thackeray, as leader of the party in the Assembly replacing Rane. The decision was taken in a meeting of party MLAs, which was attended by 51 MLAs. After meeting the MLAs, Kupekar told reporters that he would give a ruling on the issue soon.

Earlier, Rane told reporters that he met Kupekar this morning and handed him a letter pointing out that his expulsion from the Sena was illegal. "As per the Sena constitution, seven days' notice has to be given before expelling a member. In my case, this rule was not followed," he claimed.

Rane said Sena MLAs not attending tomorrow's meeting of party legislators, convened by him in capacity as leader of opposition, may lose their Assembly membership. Replying to a question, he said the purpose of his visit to Delhi yesterday was to take legal advise from a senior counsel.

Meanwhile, the BJP today said it supported its saffron sibling Shiv Sena in the ongoing tussle between the party and expelled leader Rane.

"We hope that the strength of the Shiv Sena remains 62 after Rane's expulsion from the party," BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan told reporters after the meeting of the party's state unit here.

He was replying to a query if the BJP would stake claim for the post of leader of opposition if the Sena strength went down in the Lower House of Maharashtra Legislature.

"We are not concerned with the tussle within the Sena, but wish that it is resolved amicably," Mahajan added. Mahajan further said his party had not given any thought on the issue of staking claim for the post of leader of opposition so far.

The meeting was attended by state BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and legislative party leader in the Lower House Gopinath Munde among others.