Lok Sabha gets 29 new entrants from Maharashtra

MUMBAI: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Nitin Gadkari, late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan's daughter Poonam, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Vijaysinh Mohite Patil are a few of the 29 new entrants to the 16th Lok Sabha among the 48 MPs from Maharashtra.

Gadkari won his maiden Lok Sabha poll from Nagpur, defeating Congress veteran Vilas Muttemwar by a margin of 2.85 lakh votes.

Family members of politicians from Maharashtra also figure in the list of 29 new faces.

Late Telecom Minister Pramod Mahajan's daughter Poonam Mahajan wrested the Mumbai North Central seat from Priya Dutt by a margin of 1.87 lakh.

Heena Gavit, daughter of former Maharashtra Minister Vijay Kumar Gavit, defeated Congressman Manikrao Gavit from Nandurbar, who was seeking a record tenth term, by a margin of 1.07 lakh votes.

Shrikant Shinde, son of Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde, won the Kalyan parliamentary seat defeating Anand Paranjpye of NCP by a margin of over 2.50 lakh votes.

Raksha Khadse, daughter-in-law of Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly Eknath Khadse won the Raver Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 3.19 lakh votes.

Krupal Tumane (Ramtek) and Nana Patole (Bhandara- Gondiya) of BJP and Ramdas Tadas (Wardha) and Gajanan Kirtikar (Mumbai North West) of Shiv Sena, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, wrested the seats from the incumbents this time.

Hemant Godse (Shiv Sena) who had unsuccessfully contested the Nashik seat as MNS candidate in 2009, wrested the seat from NCP as Sena candidate.

Kapil Patil, who has won from Bhiwandi had quit NCP less than a month before the polling and joined BJP.

Rajan Vichare of Shiv Sena defeated Sanjeev Naik of NCP from Thane by a margin of 2.82 lakh votes.