Ahmednagar, February 19: Tension prevailed in the Ahmednagar city of Maharashtra after Shiv Sena workers protested against alleged insult of warrior king Shivaji by the deputy mayor, who is a BJP member. Sena workers pelted stones at a BJP office near Gandhi Maidan, calling for a bandh (shut-down) in the city on February 16, 2018.

According to Sena leader and former MLA Anil Rathod, deputy mayor Shripad Chindam ticked off a municipal corporation employee today morning for not doing his work. When the employee said he was tied up in work related to Shiv Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Shivaji which falls on February 19, Chindam used insulting language about the iconic 17th century king, Rathod alleged.

A purported audio clip of the conversation went viral on social media, which was followed by a video circulated on WhatsApp, in which Chindam himself is purportedly seen offering apology for saying objectionable things about Shivaji "unintentionally". Lok Sabha member and city BJP chief Dilip Gandhi told media that Chindam would be dismissed from the party.

The situation in the city was under control, said inspector Abhay Parmar of Kotwali police station. The Shiv Sena and BJP are part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, though relations between the two parties are strained due to the Sena's frequest swipes at the latter.