Unprecedented and unexpected developments are taking place in Maharashtra at the moment. After the early morning oath-taking of Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar on Saturday, Congress-Shiv Sena-NCP have taken a pledge to stay together.
In another development, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi was also present at the Hotel Hyatt. He was sitting in the first row alongside Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, Balasaheb Thorat and Sena's Sanjay Raut.
Back in 2009, Azmi was beaten by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) lawmakers after he took the oath as legislator in Hindi and not Marathi. This caused mayhem in the Maharashtra assembly.
In Saamana's editorial, Balasaheb Thackeray wrote that if Azmi had come in Diwakar Raote's hands, he would have made a 'tandoori' out of him, and removed his skin. He added that Marathi pride has been the Shiv Sena's philosophy always and would also remain in the future.
Reacting to Balasaheb Thackeray's views, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi said that Bal Thackeray was "approaching the last stages of his life and has lost his mental balance".
Later Sena MLAs threatened Abu Azmi inside the Maharashtra Assembly premises. They stopped and surrounded Azmi's car and warned him against commenting on Thackeray. Their provocation was Azmi's statement calling Thackeray old and senile.
