Rane loses in Maha by-poll, SAD gains in Punjab
16 April 2015 5:50 AM IST
In Punjab, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) gained a seat. The ruling Congress in Uttarakhand and the opposition NCP in Maharashtra retained their seats in the by-elections, the results of which were announced on Wednesday.
Former chief minister Rane was trounced in the Bandra East constituency by Trupti Sawant, widow of former Shiv Sena leader Bala Sawant, raising a question on his political future.
This is Rane’s second consecutive electoral debacle in six months. However, state Congress president Ashok Chavan has described him as “a strong leader and a couple of losses don’t matter for his stature”.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, “We dedicate this victory to the people of Bandra East. (The late) Bala Sawant enjoyed a close rapport with his constituents...Who lost is not significant, it is a victory of principles.”
Referring to the the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate who ranked third in the by-election, Thackeray said even Muslim voters have rejected that the party’s attempts to create vote-bank politics.
Sena workers celebrated its Bandra East victory Rane’s residence, saying there is no place for political opportunism in the country.
Elsewhere in Maharashtra, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) nominee Suman Patil won the
by-poll in Tasgaon-Kavthemahankal Assembly seat in Sangli district, necessitated by the death of her husband and former deputy chief minister RR Patil.
Riding on sympathy wave and her late husband’s popularity among the masses, Patil polled over 1,12,000 votes and trounced the BJP’s rebel candidate Swapnil Patil.
In Punjab, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) improved its tally by bagging the Dhuri Assembly seat previously held by the Congress.
SAD candidate Gobind Singh Longowal trounced the Congress-supported Sanjha Morcha nominee Simar Pratapsing Barnala, grandson of former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala.
The victory has helped SAD get a simple majority of 59 in the 117-member Assembly, where it is in an alliance with BJP.
In Uttarakhand, the ruling Congress retained the Bhagwanpur seat from where its candidate Mamta Rakesh trounced her nearest BJP rival Rajpal Singh by over 36,000 votes.
With Rakesh’s victory, widow of former minister and sitting legislator Surendra Rakesh, the Congress has notched a tally of 36 members in the 70-member house.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat is running a coalition government with the support of smaller parties and Independents, but Wednesday’s victory has given the Congress a majority on its own.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party retained the Charkhari seat as its candidate Urmila Devi Rajput defeated her BJP rival Akhil Rajput with a margin of over 45,000 votes.
The by-poll was necessitated after the sitting SP legislator Kaptan Singh was convicted in a murder case and subsequently unseated as per rules.
Uddhav, Rane spar over Bandra(E) by-poll result
In a war of words after Narayan Rane’s defeat in Bandra (East) Assembly bypoll, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the election has shown that “no one should mess with them”.
“The election has again shown that the Shiv Sena is a tiger and no one should try to mess with us. This victory belongs to the people who voted for us and the party workers. We will now be able to fulfil all promises that Bala Sawant made to the people of the constituency,” he said.
Putting up a brave front, Rane said he would take all blame for his defeat and that his party tried to help him in every way possible. “I don’t blame anybody for this defeat. Winning and losing is a part of election. I have not seen defeat for the first time. I have been around for 45 years thus, do not need to learn from people what I should do next in my political career,” Rane said.
Former chief minister Rane was trounced in the Bandra East constituency by Trupti Sawant, widow of former Shiv Sena leader Bala Sawant, raising a question on his political future.
This is Rane’s second consecutive electoral debacle in six months. However, state Congress president Ashok Chavan has described him as “a strong leader and a couple of losses don’t matter for his stature”.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, “We dedicate this victory to the people of Bandra East. (The late) Bala Sawant enjoyed a close rapport with his constituents...Who lost is not significant, it is a victory of principles.”
Referring to the the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate who ranked third in the by-election, Thackeray said even Muslim voters have rejected that the party’s attempts to create vote-bank politics.
Sena workers celebrated its Bandra East victory Rane’s residence, saying there is no place for political opportunism in the country.
Elsewhere in Maharashtra, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) nominee Suman Patil won the
by-poll in Tasgaon-Kavthemahankal Assembly seat in Sangli district, necessitated by the death of her husband and former deputy chief minister RR Patil.
Riding on sympathy wave and her late husband’s popularity among the masses, Patil polled over 1,12,000 votes and trounced the BJP’s rebel candidate Swapnil Patil.
In Punjab, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) improved its tally by bagging the Dhuri Assembly seat previously held by the Congress.
SAD candidate Gobind Singh Longowal trounced the Congress-supported Sanjha Morcha nominee Simar Pratapsing Barnala, grandson of former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala.
The victory has helped SAD get a simple majority of 59 in the 117-member Assembly, where it is in an alliance with BJP.
In Uttarakhand, the ruling Congress retained the Bhagwanpur seat from where its candidate Mamta Rakesh trounced her nearest BJP rival Rajpal Singh by over 36,000 votes.
With Rakesh’s victory, widow of former minister and sitting legislator Surendra Rakesh, the Congress has notched a tally of 36 members in the 70-member house.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat is running a coalition government with the support of smaller parties and Independents, but Wednesday’s victory has given the Congress a majority on its own.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party retained the Charkhari seat as its candidate Urmila Devi Rajput defeated her BJP rival Akhil Rajput with a margin of over 45,000 votes.
The by-poll was necessitated after the sitting SP legislator Kaptan Singh was convicted in a murder case and subsequently unseated as per rules.
Uddhav, Rane spar over Bandra(E) by-poll result
In a war of words after Narayan Rane’s defeat in Bandra (East) Assembly bypoll, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the election has shown that “no one should mess with them”.
“The election has again shown that the Shiv Sena is a tiger and no one should try to mess with us. This victory belongs to the people who voted for us and the party workers. We will now be able to fulfil all promises that Bala Sawant made to the people of the constituency,” he said.
Putting up a brave front, Rane said he would take all blame for his defeat and that his party tried to help him in every way possible. “I don’t blame anybody for this defeat. Winning and losing is a part of election. I have not seen defeat for the first time. I have been around for 45 years thus, do not need to learn from people what I should do next in my political career,” Rane said.
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