In a massive show of strength, senior Congress leader Narayan Rane on Tuesday led a procession of hundreds of supporters to the election commission’s office at Bandra in north-west Mumbai and filed his nomination to contest the April 11 State Assembly by-polls to Bandra (East) seat.
Rane was accompanied among others by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ashok Chavan, party’s Mumbai unit president Sanjay Nirupam and former state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre.
The by-polls to the Bandra (East) Assembly seat has been necessitated by the sitting Shiv Sena MlA Prakash Bala Sawant, who passed away after prolonged illness on January 10 this year.
In his high-profile contest, Rane will be taking on the Sena’s Trupti Sawant, widow of late Prakash Sawant.
The ruling BJP, which has thrown its weight behind the Sena nominee, will not be contesting this seat, while the Opposition NCP has thrown its lot with Rane.