Congress ahead in three states

B-97, MUM-100409 - APRIL 10, 2009 - Sakolii : Congress president Sonia Gandhi along with NCP President Sharad Pawar during the first joint Cong-NCP rally at Sakoli in Bhandara district in Maharashtra on Friday. PTI Photo by Shirish Shete *** Local Caption *** NICAID:110317099

Ruling Congress—NCP combine was ahead of Shiv Sena—BJP in Maharashtra, leading in over three dozen seats, according to initial trends available after counting for Assembly elections to three states began on Thursday.

In Haryana, Congress is leading in four seats while opposition INLD and BJP is ahead in one each seat, while in Arunachal Pradesh ruling Congress was ahead in six seats.

In Maharashtra, having a total of 228 seats, Congress—NCP combine is ahead in 37 seats while the opposition coalition is ahead in 34 seats.Raj Thackeray—led MNS and the Third Front were leading at one seat each.

Shiv Sena candidate Kedari Raibage leads Varsha Gaikwad of Congress in Mumbai’s Dharavi constituency while Congress candidates are leading in Shahada (Dhule) and Solapur.

Those leading include Industry minister Narayan Rane (Kudal) and Union minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s daughter Praniti (Solapur).

Stakes are high in Maharashtra, where there are several chief ministerial aspirants. Rivals Shiv Sena and its offshoot MNS are fighting for the same political space and the ruling Congress—NCP combine is aiming a hat—trick. There are 1,820 independents, mostly party rebels, in fray.

The Congress has been ruling the state for the last 10 years in alliance with the NCP.