Cong-NCP heavy weights trailing in Maharashtra; ex-CM leading in Nanded

Several Congress bigwigs including that of its ally NCP are trailing behind their Shiv Sena-BJP rivals in Maharashtra.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was trailing behind BJP's Sharad Bandsode in Solapur. Shinde, who has never lost an election, had polled 69,018 votes as against Bandsode's 1,04046 votes.

NCP heavyweight Praful Patel was trailing in Bhandara-Gondia. His BJP rival Nana Patole had polled more than 61,000 votes as against Patel's over 49,000 votes.

However, former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan was the only solace for Congress as he is leading in Nanded parliamentary seat over his BJP rival D B Patil.

Chavan had polled 93,869 votes as against Patil's 75,872 votes.

BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who is making his electoral debut has established a comfortable lead over his rival Congress veteran Vilas Muttemwar who was seeking a seventh term. Gadkari has polled 135,269 votes as against Muttemwar's 63,955 votes.

In Beed, Gopinath Munde had established a slender lead over NCP's Suresh Dhas. Munde polled 56,496 votes as against Dhas's 42075 votes.

Supriya Sule of NCP was leading by nearly 10,000 votes against her rival Mahadev Jankar (of Rashtriya Samaj Paksh--an ally of BJP) in Baramati constituency. Sule has polled 157332 votes while Jankar secured 147095 votes.