Rane enables Cong to score morale-boosting win over Sena, NCP

Mumbai, June 1 (UNI) In an outcome that could change the permutations and combinations in the ruling Congress in Maharashtra, all the four party candidates emerged victorious in the crucial Legislative Council biennial elections, even as the Shiv Sena suffered yet another setback losing one seat despite having the neccessary quota of first preference votes.

Revenue Minister Narayan Rane, who put his candidate Rajan Teli at the last moment in addition to the three official candidates of the Congress, had the last laugh. Even though Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was not keen on the party fielding a fourth candidate, Mr Rane prevailed upon the central leadership that he could get Mr Teli elected with votes from other parties, including Shiv Sena.

Mr Deshmukh had left the floor management to state Congress chief Prabha Rau.

Mr Teli romped home with 29 first preference votes along with Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's close aide Ulhas Pawar, who bagged 29 votes while former State Congress president Govindrao Adik had 24 in his kitty.

S Q Zama, another Congress candidate bagged 20 votes. Mr Zama emerged victorious in the second round with Mr Pawar's excess votes going in his favour.

Congress sources said even though Mr Zama and Mr Adik did not get the requisite quota of votes in the first round, the votes had been distributed among the party candidates only.

Continuing its series of defeats that started with the Malvan byelection, the Shiv Sena lost one seat in the biennial Legislative Council elections today due to the cross-voting from 20 Shiv Sena legislators.

The Sena suffered a major jolt as 20 of its legislators crossed voted, resulting in the defeat of one of its official candidate, Vijay Loke. It had a strength of 58 in the House, while its two candidates -- Parshuram Uparkar and Loke -- could collectively poll only 38 votes of the first preference voting. Though Mr Uparkar got elected in the first round, Mr Loke, who was trailing, was finally eliminated in the 16th round getting only 16 votes.

Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) strongman Jayant Patil got 11 votes from Mr Loke in the 16th round and won with 31 votes.

Mr Uparkar was the Sena candidate against Narayan Rane in the Malvan by-election.

Usha Darade of NCP won in the 14th round. Vasant Oswal, the NCP's fourth candidate, was eliminated in the seventh round as he got only ten votes.

Though the effective strength of the House was 289 including one nominated member, jailed former minister Surupsingh Naik, who is presently recuperating in the J J hospital, was not entitled to vote under the Representation of Peoples' Act, resulting in reducing the total voting strength to 288. One vote was rendered invalid.

All the legislators including the gangster-turned-politican Arun Gawli turned up for the voting. However the quota which was fixed to 25, came down to 24 as the total tally got decreased by one.

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