On Day 2 of Assembly Session, Shiv Sena's Editorial Becomes BJP's Weapon as Ex-allies Get into Skirmish

Mumbai: Two MLAs from BJP and Shiv Sena got into a skirmish on the floor of the House on the second day of Maharashtra Assembly session on Tuesday. Senior leaders from the ruling and opposition benches had to intervene to pacify and separate them.

While no disciplinary action has been initiated against any of the MLAs, they have said they are willing to face action for the welfare of the farmers.

BJP started the second day of the Assembly session too on a very aggressive note. BJP MLAs held banners and flex boards of Saamana newspaper's cutouts. Most of the banners were the enlarged copies of Saamana page 1 of November 4, which carried a lead article about Uddhav Thackeray's promise to farmers of Rs 25,000 relief per hectare.

On the floor of the House too, the BJP MLAs started sloganeering, and came down in the well, with the banners in their hands. Devendra Fadnavis, leader of opposition, even requested the Speaker to not let the proceedings take place till the government announces relief of Rs 25,000 per hectare for farmers.

BJP’s newly-elected MLA Abhimanyu Pawar entered the well with a banner as well. In retaliation, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad tried to snatch away the banner. Abhimanyu Pawar too got aggressive. Both the MLAs entered into a skirmish thereafter.

Senior leaders from the ruling and opposition benches had to intervene to separate them. Ashish Shelar, Girish Mahajan, Jayant Patil, Eknath Shinde tried to pacify both the MLAs.

The Shiv Sena later hit back at the BJP saying if they would have read the Saamana earlier, they would not have had to face this day today.

The Congress on the other hand said the desperation of the BJP showed through such steps. “BJP is jilted that it has been kept out of power. That is why we see such kind of reactions coming from them. This does not suit the decorum of the House,” former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said.

Both the MLAs justified their actions and said they were willing to face disciplinary action in the interest of the farmers.