Supporters of Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane on Thursday evening burnt copies of Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna in Thane, protesting an article on the Congress leader.

The newspaper's morning edition carried a report from New Delhi about a media conference addressed by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Deshmukh reportedly made some light remarks about Rane, who defected to the Congress from the Shiv Sena about four years ago. He has been vying for the chief minister's post for long and has made several trips to New Delhi to stake his claim.

Deshmukh reportedly compared Rane to a newly wedded bride who moves to the bridegroom's home and takes time to adjust in the new environment.

Saamna reported the comment accompanied by a picture depicting Rane as a coy Maharashtrian bride, wearing a maroon sari and wedding jewellery.

A group of nearly 100 supporters of Rane trooped down to the Saamna office in the evening to protest, but dispersed after they encountered a posse of police there.

When contacted, Saamna executive editor and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said that Rane's supporters could not reach the newspaper's office in Prabhadevi, central Mumbai, since the police and Shiv Sainiks were around.

Rane supporters in Thane brought bundles of the newspaper's copies and made a bonfire of them, raising slogans against the Shiv Sena.