Shiv Sena set to retain Bandra(East) seat, NCP heading towards win in Tasgaon

MUMBAI: Former Chief Minister Narayan Rane was trailing in the bypoll to Bandra (East) Assembly seat in Mumbai over Shiv Sena candidate Trupti Sawant, who has established a comfortable lead at the end of the 13th round of counting.

In the by-election to Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal seat of Maharashtra's Sangli district, NCP nominee Suman Patil, the widow of NCP stalwart late RR Patil, is comfortably placed and her declaration as winner is just a matter of formality as she has established a lead of around 96,000 votes.

Sena candidate Sawant, the widow of former MLA Bala Sawant whose death necessitated the bypoll in Bandra(E) seat, has polled 45,123 votes as compared to 28,433 votes polled by Rane so far.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) candidate Rehbar Khan has polled 10,571 votes at the end of the 13th round of counting.

Bandra (East) constituency in suburban Mumbai houses the residence of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, 'Matoshree'.

The Bandra (East) by-election has turned crucial for Rane who had lost the state Assembly poll last year from his home turf Sindhudurg district in coastal Konkan.

A total of 10 candidates were in the fray in Bandra (East) and nine in Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal constituency.

The bypoll for the two seats in Maharashtra was held on April 11.