 "Narayan Rane")
At least three complaints have been filed against Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane for allegedly threatening to 'slap' Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, sparking fresh tensions between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena, here on Tuesday.
Irate Shiv Sena and Yuva Sena activists retaliated by erecting a hoarding in Dadar with a picture of Rana and a cocky caption -- 'Kombdi Chor' (Chicken Thief) -- and others lodged police complaints against him in Pune, Nashik and Raigad districts.
The Union Minister, who hails from the state, is currently on a 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' from Mumbai to Sindhudurg and the alleged comments came during a rally in Chiplun (Ratnagiri) on Monday night.
While Sena and its affiliated wings have reacted sharply to Rane's comments, the local BJP leaders sought to defend him saying it was made in a typical 'Thackeray-style language'.
Even as the police beefed up security for Rane's home in Mumbai, Sindhudurg and a resort where he was camping, his son Nitesh Rane said that they are consulting legal advisors in the matter.
This is the second major brush between the former allies turned enemies BJP-Sena in a week. Last Wednesday, Sena activists 'cleaned and purified' the late Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial at Shivaji Park after Rane paid obeisance there prior to launching his yatra.
However, despite the police complaints, Rane's team has made it clear that the ongoing 'Yatra' will continue undisturbed till August 27 as originally planned.--IANS
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