Coalition partners set for another showdown as Sena plans to bring up the rooftop eateries proposal in the BMC general body meeting, a month after the BJP shot down the suggestion.It’s just over a month since the BJP shot down the Shiv Senabacked proposal to allow rooftop restaurants on commercial highrises, thereby adding to the animosity between the alliance partners, but the Sena is not ready to back down. The party has decided to bring up the proposal at the BMC’s general body meeting next week, and is lobbying with archrivals MNS and the Samajwadi Party (SP) for support.In late February, the BJP had rejected the proposal saying that among other requirements, an applicant needs the consent of all buildings surrounding the proposed spot, and not just the building where it is housed (BJP-led civic panel rejects rooftop eateries policy, MM, February 26).While the Shiv Sena and the SP voted in favour of the policy, they could not get it approved as the BJP, the Congress, the NCP and the MNS voted against it. The policy was initially proposed by SP's Farhan Azmi and was backed by Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray, who hit out at BJP after it was rejected by the Civic Improvement's Committee headed by the party’s Ujawala Modak.In a U-turn, the MNS has said that it will now back the proposal. Sandeep Deshpande, the MNS group leader in the BMC, said, “We voted against (the proposal) on a technical issue the last time around. We will back it if it comes up for discussion. It is forward-looking proposal and I think that the city needs roof-top restaurants,” Deshpande said.The Sena has assigned Yashodhar Phanse, the Standing Committee chairman, and the party’s leader of the House Trushna Vishwasrao to ensure the proposal is okayed. “We will table the proposal in the general body meeting next week and get it passed,” Vishwasrao said, even as the BJP’s group leader in the BMC, Manoj Kotak, said that the party won’t be changing its stance. “We will oppose any move wherein the residents will suffer,” he said.A senior Sena leader has said that “all parties” except the BJP are now in favour of the proposal. “We will move an amendment to get the proposal cleared, and reach out to the other parties in the larger interest of the city. Ways are being worked out to ensure the proposal is passed,” a Sena leader said. The SP’s group leader in the BMC, Rais Shaikh, confirmed that his party will again back the proposal. “In fact, we are demanding that rooftop restaurants be allowed on any commercial building, and not just hotels. Such restaurants should be accessible to the common people,” he said.Following a memorandum submitted by Association of Hotels and Restaurants, the BMC had framed a policy allowing hotels to serve food and liquor on terraces and even host parties. However, when it came up before the Improvements Committee on Wednesday, member and BJP corporator Prakash Gangadhare said BMC must first make it mandatory for restaurants to obtain a no-objection certificate not just from the building's occupants, but also neighbouring buildings.The policy has already been deferred twice, following objection from the BJP and the Congress, and will now have to be amended and presented afresh to incorporate the demand.The proposal has 23 conditions, including obtaining NoCs from police, fire brigade and avoiding permanent structures. It says the terrace should be kept open, but allows the height of the safety wall to be raised.