Personal jibes at Uddhav Thackeray won't be 'tolerated': Shiv Sena warns BJP

Mumbai: Infuriated with Uddhav Thackeray's comparison with comedy actor Asrani's famous character as a jailor in Bollywood film 'Sholay' by the BJP, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday issued a stern warning to its alliance partner and said that such comments would not be tolerated. BJP chief spokesperson Madhav Bhandari had in a write up dared the Shiv Sena to take 'divorce' from power and compared the party chief with comedy actor Asrani's famous character as a jailor in 'Sholay'. Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande said neither the party's mouthpiece Saamna nor Uddhav have made any personal remarks regarding any of the central or state BJP leaders. "Uddhav ji and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis share a very good relationship and somebody is trying to spoil this deliberately," Kayande said. "It is certain leaders of Mumbai BJP who are hell-bent to attract attention of their central leaders. Probably, they want to be in the ministry or they want to become MLCs or demand certain post from the party. The personal comment regarding Uddhav ji like comparing him to the character of movie 'Sholay' will not be tolerated by Shiv Sena," she added. Bhandari, in an article published in BJP's mouthpiece 'Manogat' compared Uddhav to Sholay's jailor (played by Asrani), a character that provides comic relief with shades of buffoonery. Bhandari's Asrani jibe prompted Shiv Sena corporator Kishori Pednekar to compare BJP president Amit Shah with Gabbar. "Shah is running his party like Gabbar, and you know what happens to Gabbar at the end of the movie," she reportedly said on Friday. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party also put up posters of Amit Shah and set afire the effigy of the party's city unit chief Ashish Shelar in South Mumbai. Escalating the confrontation, the Sena cadres put up posters depicting Shah and BJP chief spokesperson Madhav Bhandari dressed in attires of characters from Bollywood movie ' Sholay'.