MNS makes its debut in Maharashtra assembly

Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Thursday made its debut in the Maharashtra assembly, bagging two of the 60 seats in the House.

The party, which made a deep dent in the Shiv Sena vote bank during the Lok Sabha polls, was leading in 14 other seats in the 288-member House.

MNS candidate Mangesh Sangale won from Vikhroli in suburban Mumbai, defeating Nationalist Congress Party rival Pallavi Patil, wife of NCP Member of Parliament Sanjay Patil, who was elected from Mumbai North-East.

Former cricketer Vinod Kambli had also contested from Vikhroli as a candidate of the Lok Bharati party. Another MNS candidate Ramesh Wanjale from Khadakwasla constituency in Pune district defeated BJP's Murlidhar Mohol and Vikas Dangat of Congress.

MNS was formed three years ago by Raj Thackeray, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's estranged nephew. Out of the results declared so far, 32 seats have been won by the ruling Congress-NCP alliance and 17 by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine.