Thackeray warns Congress against provoking Maharashtrians

Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray has accused Congress of "using" Mumbai to mint money at the cost of Maharashtrians and warned its leaders against deriving political mileage by encouraging influx of North Indians into the metropolis.

Lambasting Congress leader and former state minister Kripashankar Singh for his reported statement that the clean sweep made by Congress in Mumbai in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections was a "revenge" taken by North Indians, Thackeray in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' said those who seek to snap Mumbai's umbilical cord with Maharashtrians "would be dealt with severely by Shiv Sena".

Quoting Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam that party's victory in Mumbai was the outcome of North Indians' support and now nobody can prevent their entry into the city, Thackeray said the Congress triumph was a result of the division of Marathi votes caused by treacherous elements and not an achievement of the party.

"Who is this Kripashankar and Sanjay Nirupam? We are issuing a warning that those who try to provoke the Marathi manoos are digging their own grave," the editorial said.

"Knowing Mumbai's utility, Congress is trying to usurp it by treating it like a tempting whore to earn money and meeting out a raw deal for Maharashtrians," the Sena supremo alleged.