Maharashtra: Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Supriya Sule leading; Shiv Sena ahead in 6 seats

Mumbai: Early trends of counting of votes for Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra on Tuesday indicated Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal, and Supriya Sule, daughter of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, were leading from their constituencies.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena) was also ahead of his rivals in the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat.

The Shiv Sena-led by CM Shinde took a lead in six seats.

Counting of votes in the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state began at 8 am and counting of postal ballots was taken up first, an official said.

Gadkari, who is contesting his third Lok Sabha polls from Nagpur, took a lead over Congress candidate Vikas Thakre, an election official said.

Goyal contested his maiden Lok Sabha election from Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat against Congress candidate Bhushan Patil.

In Baramati seat, Supriya Sule took a lead over her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, the wife of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

In Kalyan seat, Shrikant Shinde, who is seeking a third term in Parliament, was leading over his rivals by a margin of 2,093 votes.

In Thane seat, CM Eknath Shinde’s close confidante Naresh Mhaske took a slender lead of 613 votes over his rivals.

Shiv Sena candidates Rahul Shewale (Mumbai South Central), Yamini Jadhav (Mumbai South), Shrirang Barne (Maval) and Prataprao Jadhav (Buldhana) were also ahead of their rivals.