MUMBAI, August 13: Mumbai is all set to witness an unusual event: the national tri-colour fluttering atop the Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar instead of just the standard saffron.

Bal Thackeray, who has often expressed the fond wish to see the saffron flag fly atop the parliament and the state legislature, will hoist the saffron, green and white national flag atop his own headquarters. Rather left out of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of India's Independence, Thackeray will have his own little ceremony past midnight at 1 am on Friday at the Bhavan. Shiv Sainiks have been asked to be present in ample numbers to make the event a ``grand success''.

Thackeray was rather edged out of participation in the Maharashtra government's pre-Independence Day gala in the city on August 9. Among other things, opposition from the Youth Congress which stressed on his unapologetic attitude towards his recent abuse of Mahatma Gandhi, forced the Sena-led government to play safe and keep him out of the function where the Prime Minister and several central ministers were present.

The opposition to Thackeray's presence on the same dais as the Prime Minister grew after the July 11 police firings in Mumbai that killed eleven dalits. His defiant attitude helped to keep him out with stress laid on his ``extra-constitutional'' status.

Thackeray will preside over the ceremony that will include his son Uddhav, nephew Raj and Chief Minister Manohar Joshi. The timing appears to have been carefully chosen to prevent the state government's participation in the Central government sponsored midnight flag hoisting at the Old Secretariat building. One hour after midnight will allow the Parliament's re-enactment of the `tryst with destiny' to go by.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.