Shiv Sena’s Kalaben Delkar leads in Dadra and Nagar Haveli bye-elections

According to the Election Commission of India, Kalaben Delkar polled 60.4% of the votes. Delkar was leading by over 40,000 votes at 1.30pm, as per the EC website

The Shiv Sena’s Kalaben Delkar was leading against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Mahesh Gavit as counting was underway on Tuesday for the bye-election held for the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha seat on October 30.

A representational image. Shiv Sena’s Kalaben Delkar was leading in the Dadra and Nagar Haveli bye-elections, on Tuesday. (HT photo)

According to the Election Commission of India website, Delkar polled 60.4% of the votes while Gavit 33.48% votes. Delkar was leading by over 40,000 votes at 1.30pm, as per the website.

The bye-election was necessitated by the death of Kalaben Delkar’s husband, Mohan Delkar, an independent. If Sena wins, it will be the party’s first Lok Sabha seat outside Maharashtra. The Sena’s sole assembly election victory outside the state was in the 1990s in Uttar Pradesh.

Sena leader Sanjay Raut said it will be a “historic” victory for the party in Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha by-poll. In a tweet, Raut said, “First step outside Maharashtra, giant leap towards Delhi via Dadra Nagar Haveli.”