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Cong MLA Walvi surfaces, seeks protection from saffron combine

Addressing a press conference at the Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai in the presence of Chief Minister Vilas Deshmukh, Walvi said he was very much with the Congress and would vote for the Democratic Front government in Thursday's trial of strength in the state legislative assembly.

Walvi said he had been 'misdirected' to the Matoshree Club and was kept there 'under pressure'.

"All the interviews to the media (in the presence of BJP-Shiv Sena leaders) had been given under tremendous pressure," he said.

The chief minister assured that action would be taken against those who had kept Walvi in 'illegal confinement'. However, such action would come after Walvi lodged a police complaint, he added.

Asked whether the Congress would withdraw its complaint against Walvi on the basis of which he was issued a show cause notice by Speaker Arun Gujarati, Deshmukh replied that he would seek a legal opinion on the issue.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Walvi, who had been served with a show cause notice for withdrawing support to the Democratic Front government in Maharashtra, met assembly Speaker Arun Gujarati and sought protection from the opposition BJP-Shiv Sena combine.

The Speaker immediately ordered marshalls to guard him and assured Walvi that he would be provided with police security later.

Walvi, who has been in the eye of a political controversy following his alleged abduction, met the Speaker in Mumbai to explain his case.

Earlier on June 6, Walvi had told mediapersons, in the presence of leader of the opposition in the state assembly Narayan Rane, that he had withdrawn support to the Democratic Front government.

The opposition BJP-Shiv Sena combine had then claimed that Walvi had defected of his own will countering the Congress claim that he had been pressurised to switch loyalties.

However, Walvi's wife, Yogita, had met Governor Dr P C Alexander along with a letter, handwritten by Walvi, claiming that he had been kept under confinement.

PTI

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