Sena will boycott all functions attended by Narayan Rane: Joshi

Mumbai, Jan 8 (UNI) Former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi today said he had left a book release function yesterday attended by estranged Shiv Sena leader and Revenue Minister Narayan Rane since the Shiv Sena had decided to ''boycott'' all programmes that are attended by the Minister.

Mr Joshi had left the function organised to release a book ''Yashvantrao te Vilasrao'' on the chief ministers of Maharashtra in the middle of the function which was attended by most of the former chief ministers and their relatives.

Talking to UNI, Mr Joshi said since Mr Rane had attended the function as a former chief minister, he had left in accordance to his party's decision.

Mr Joshi, too, was the chief minister of Maharashtra from 1995 to 1999. But, in 1999, Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray had preferred Mr Rane over Mr Joshi. Mr Rane, however, quit the Shiv Sena and joined the Congress in July 2005.

UNI JM NM SB AS1908