Bal Thackeray in hot water, as Bihar MPs move Privilege Motion against him

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray finds himself in trouble, as MPs from Bihar moved a privilege motion against him in the Lok Sabha for his remarks against the MPs belonging to UP and Bihar in the latest editorial in 'Saamna'. Perturbed over mobilization of 'Marathi' votes in support of his nephew Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray launched a fresh offensive against the Biharis, saying Biharis were an "unwanted" lot in all parts of the country.

He wrote, "The UP-Bihari MPs have shown their ingratitude towards Mumbai and Maharashtra with an anti-Marathi tirade in Parliament". The issue was raised in the Parliament by MPs cutting across the party line. Even Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said that Bal Thackeray's references amounted to contempt of the House.

Meanwhile, Congress President had summoned Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh to discuss the matter. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention to convene a meeting between political leaders of Bihar and Maharashtra to sort out "differences" and put at rest the raging controversy.