Pravin Raut, a Class IV employee in the Minister's office, held Rane's shoes as the Congress leader was descending steps of the memorial of Shivaji Maharaj in Vidhan Bhavan after paying tributes to the Maratha king on his birth anniversary.

Raut held holding Rane's shoes until the Minister's feet slipped into them, much to the bewilderment of onlookers. Shiv Sena was quick to take potshot at the Shiv Sainik -turned Congressman. "Rane has gone Mayawati way," a Sena leader quipped, referring to an incident last month when a personal Security officer (PSO) of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had cleaned her dusty shoes with his handkerchief.