Now, a controversy over Mumbai-Pune expressway

Days after the Bandra-Worli sealink was named Rajiv Gandhi Setu, a fresh row has erupted with Shiv Sena vehemently opposing Maharashtra government's decision to name the Mumbai-Pune express highway after Congress veteran Y B Chavan.

'The Mumbai-Pune expressway took shape during the BJP rule in Maharashtra and I had declared that time that it would be named after popular Marathi litterateur P L Deshpande, the most versatile and loved personality of the state famously known for his creative and artistic genius,' Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray said in the editorial of party mouthpiece Saamana on Thursday.

Taking strong objection to the state cabinet's decision, Thackeray described Chavan, the veteran Congress leader and first chief minister of Maharashtra as a 'fence sitter' and a servile and 'most obedient servant' of Congress high command who was 'humiliated by Indira Gandhi'.

'Pu La (as Deshpande was fondly called) was great without power and could not be compared with Chavan who was a fence sitter in his political career marked by indecisiveness,' Thackeray, who is currently recuperating in a hospital, said.

'From the ICU of Leelavati hospital I declare that I have no enmity towards anybody, but my commitment to Marathi people is total. The sea link and Mumbai-Pune expressway will have to be named after Swatantrayaveer Savarkar and 'Pu La' Deshpande respectively notwithstanding the state government orders in the matter,' he added.