Voting for Rajya Sabha bypoll from Maharashtra begins

MUMBAI: Polling for the Rajya Sabha bypoll, necessitated after Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's resignation as MP in April, began at Vidhan Bhawan here today.

Hussain Dalwai ( Congress) and Surendra Mane ( BJP) are in a straight fight.

Ruling partners Congress and NCP, with 144 MLAs, have the required number of votes for winning the bypoll.

Congress has 82 MLAs and NCP has 62. The ruling combine is backed by 23 of the 24 independents, with 12 independents supporting Congress and 11 with the NCP.

Shiv Sena has 45 and BJP 46 MLAs. The strength of other parties in the Assembly is as follows: MNS 12 (reduced from 13 after death of Ramesh Wanjale), PWP 4, Samajwadi Party 3, Jan Surajya Shakti Party and Bahujan Vikas Agadhi 2 each, BBM, CPM, Loksangram, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, Swabhimani Party one each.