With an extremely aggressive Opposition leaning heavily on the mayor in the House today, Satam was obliged to reconsider his earlier stand. When the Opposition benches asked the Speaker if the mayor had the legal sanction to stop the payment, Satam said Bapat's diatribe was ``not honourable''.

``A lot of discussion has taken place in the House on this issue, and keeping the views of the members in mind, we shall reconsider the matter. True it is not in our culture to break our promises, but it is also not in our culture to `spit' in such a fashion,'' Satam said.

However, the situation is still delicately poised in the BMC, as egos get confusedwith logic, politics and administration. The Samajwadi Party (SP) announced today that it would contribute Rs 1 lakh to the organisers of the sammelan, with party corporator Ramesh Joshi saying: ``By stopping the payment, Nandu Satam has tarnished the image of BMC as well as of the entire Mumbai city.'' While announcing his party's contribution, Joshi pointed to Sena corporators and said: ``This is a major slap on your face.''

The BJP, alliance partner of the Sena in the BMC, was equally indignant. BJP corporator Sardar Tara Singh and party leader in the House, Arun Deo, said the Rs 10 lakh donation should not have been withdrawn as the BMC had already given its word. ``I agree that Marathi literature is not the sole right of any one person, but since the cheque of Rs 10 lakh was duly signed by the municipal commissioner how can he stop the payment,'' Tara Singh asked. During the proceedings, Opposition members asked the Speaker to place the issue on top of the agenda. They also shouted: ``Nandu Satam hai,hai!" "Vasant Bapatcha vijay ho!' and `Marathi manus jaga ho! (Wake up Maratha man)''. However, Satam retorted: ``During the literary conference, the BMC had already spent Rs 10 lakh by providing electricity to the venue and also giving mobile toilets. However there was no word of appreciation from the literary giants present at the sammelan.''

Finally, he said: ``We will discuss the issue again, provided Bapat takes back his scathing remarks.''