Sena workers disrupt Dussehra event organised by Kirit Somaiya

Will continue fight against "mafia-raj and corruption in MCGM, said Somaiya

Shiv Sena workers allegedly disrupted a programme organised by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kirit Somaiya in suburban Mulund wherein an "effigy of corruption" was to be burnt to mark the festival of Dussehra.

Police, however, said workers of both the parties clashed at the venue.

"Sena workers disrupted the program and forced us to end it. They also took away the effigy," a leader close to Somaiya alleged.

Somaiya, who represents the Northeast Mumbai constituency, said he will continue his fight against the "mafia-raj and corruption in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)".

The Shiv Sena, however, defended its workers, saying they prevented a "mischief".

MCGM is ruled by the Sena-BJP alliance for the last 20 years and civic polls are scheduled early 2017.

Somaiya, a former Mumbai BJP chief, has aggressively targeted Sena and has repeatedly alleged that civic body was riddled with "mafia-raj and corruption".

"Today, Somaiya was at the event to burn the effigy of Ravan, which was a symbol of prevailing corruption in MCGM led by Shiv Sena. But the Sena workers disrupted our programme," Prakash Gangadhare, a local BJP leader, said.

Gangadhare alleged that the "Sena workers also manhandled women workers of their party who were objected to their hooliganism".

He claimed that the BJP workers gave "a befitting reply to the Sainiks".

Sena spokesperson Arvind Bhosale alleged, "From our point of view, Somaiya is himself a Ravan and therefore, he did not have any moral right to burn the effigy of Ravan because Ravan cannot burn himself."

Defending the act by the Sena workers, Bhosale said, "In fact, our party workers prevented a mischief and the effigy of Ravan was burnt by the true followers of Ram."

Bhosale also rejected BJP's charges that the workers manhandled women workers.

"Shiv Sena has utmost respect for women. Our Sainiks kept distance from women," he claimed and alleged that Somaiya is "taking the shield of women to gain sympathy".

Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Ashok Dudhe said an offence will be registered in this regard at Navghar police station.