The car of Ratnagiri MLA and former Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant, who switched to the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, was attacked in Pune on Tuesday.
The attack took place in the Katraj Chowk area of Pune when some people targeted his vehicle and raised slogans against Sawant and Shinde.
“In Maharashtra, this is not the way politics is done. The attackers had sticks and stones,” he said, adding that his car was behind Shinde's convoy.
The Pune Police have arrested 5 people under various sections of Indian Penal Code, in connection with the attack.
A senior politician, Samant is a four-time MLA from Ratnagiri - having won in 2004 and 2009 on a ticket of Sharad Pawar-led NCP and in 2014 and 2019 on a ticket from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
After the rebellion, Samant stayed with the Thackerays and even attended the national executive meeting, however, later switched loyalties.
“What has happened is an act of cowardice. There is no bravery in pelting stones and fleeing. It is our responsibility to maintain law and order. If somebody tries to disrupt law and order, strict action would be taken against them,” Shinde said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Dr Neelam Gorhe said that unnecessarily the Thackeray-led party is being defamed.
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