Former CM Narayan Rane suffered a severe political setback on
Tuesday after the Shiv Sena was trounced by the NCP in the elections
to the Kankavli municipal council in Sindhudurg district.

Of the 17 seats, the NCP won all the 10 it contested. The Congress
bagged five and the Sena two. Sandesh Parkar (NCP) was elected
president of the municipal council. The elections were held on
Sunday. Mr Rane had personally campaigned in Kankavli, where his posh
bungalow had been torched, for over a week to ensure the success of
the Sena.

The party leadership may now take a dim view of his leadership
capabilities following his failure to see the party through, Sena
watchers said. Meanwhile, the NCP trounced the BJP in elections to
the Jamner municipal council in Jalgaon district.

The NCP won 13 of the 20 seats. Elated by the victory, NCP state
president R.R. Patil said, "the Kankavli results show that the
politics of intimidation has no place in Maharashtra.''

Bk