The battle between expelled Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane and party executive president Uddhav Thackeray spilled on to the streets on Sunday with their supporters scuffling and the leaders calling names.
Rane addressed a rally just outside the Sena mouthpiece Saamna office at Dadar in central Mumbai when the Sena executive president was present.
Blaming Uddhav for the downfall of the party in the recent past, Rane warned Udhhav against challenging him. "I was victimised after putting in 39 years into party work," Rane said, adding there was nothing wrong in raising the grievances of the Shiv Sainiks.
The rally started as scheduled amidst tension in the area that led to a scuffle between the supporters of the opposite camps, prompting the police to lathicharge them.
Accusing the police of siding with Rane, as he was set to join the Congress, Uddhav said the police had 'unneccessarily' attacked his supporters.
Earlier, the police detained about 100 persons, claiming to be Shiv Sainiks, when they tried to disrupt Rane's meeting.
A few hours before the meeting, unidentified persons had set afire the dais, police said, adding strong bandobast has been maintained in the area.
On Rane's comments that his supporters would make it difficult for Uddhav to move in the city if challenged, the Sena executive president said the activists working for Hindutava were capable of taking on those belonging to the 'Italian Congress'.
The supporters of both leaders also raised slogans against each others' leaders.
Uddhav also demanded the suspension of police officials who ordered the lathicharge on the Shiv Sainiks.
Uddhav, who went to Dadar police station to register his protest, said that Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil spoke to him and assured him of action against the guilty.
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