By Quaid Najmi

Mumbai, Apr 13 (IANS): Many fauna-friendly politicians in Maharashtra frequently invoke a variety of mute creatures to lampoon political parties and their leaders at public rallies to regale the audiences and score brownie points.

Like insects, scorpions and snakes stepped on the dais in the past, this time Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray went a reptile ahead - the dreaded cobra, also symbolic of Lord Shiva.

At his large public meeting in Thane late on Tuesday, Raj compared Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)'s Housing Minister Dr Jitendra Awhad with a cobra - in mostly personal remarks at many other leaders.

"Look at his (Dr Awhad) face. It is like the open hood of a cobra..." was Raj's poisonous refrain, leaving the crowds in splits, the ruling Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress numb, and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party chuckling.

Not reputed to take such things lying down, Dr Awhad aggressively rolled his bespectacled eyes to proclaim he was "proud" to have the countenance of a cobra.

"When I open the hood, I can strike back at my opponents," Dr Awhad said, gesticulating his hand like a hungry, angry cobra ready to attack, hinting at a political 'taandav' in future.

Then he hissed: "Never mind my face. I am proud of it. But can someone check out which part of a 'chicken' his (Raj's) face resembles?" before slithering away from the stunned media.

The 'cobra-chicken' dog-fight ignited by Raj sparked off the anticipated political furore with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar frowning and declaring that he will "give a befitting reply at the appropriate time".

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that "after he (Raj Thackeray) got an Enforcement Directorate notice" he has become the BJP's loudspeaker".

Referring to the MNS's gauntlet to the MVA to dismantle loudspeakers from all mosques in the state within 21 days (May 3), Raut rebuffed saying: "Only (the late) Balasaheb Thackeray had the authority to give such ultimatums".

He also dared Raj to invite and felicitate the 'untraceable' BJP Mumbai activist Kirit Somaiya at his swank new home 'Shivtirth' in Dadar.

The usually soft-spoken, US-educated NCP state President and Minister Jayant Patil - whom Raj referred to as 'Jant' (worm) - smiled and said "Raj's knowledge is very weak and he needs to be readmitted to primary school to improve himself".

Raj also hit out at NCP MP Supriya Sule by comparing her with an elephant, saying she had different sets of teeth for showing (tusks) and chewing.

Sule dismissed it by commenting that Raj is living in history, basking in the glory of his illustrious uncle (the late Balasaheb Thackeray), and needs to be ignored.

Dr Awhad supported her by asking, "does Raj know how painful it is when one is pierced by a tusk", adding that Raj has taken a 'contract' to spread communal discord in society.

Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe merely labelled it as a 'third umpire speech', while other party leaders wondered whether Raj is blind to the problems of spiralling fuel prices, inflation, unemployment to indulge in such lectures.

Meanwhile, the Thane Police are reportedly sharpening their knives to book Raj for brandishing a sword at the rally and the NCP planning a befitting reply to the attacks on its leaders at the party's weekend rally.