Campaigning for Yavatmal bypoll ends

Campaigning for June 2 byelection to Yavatmal Assembly seat in east Maharashtra where Congress nominee Nandini Parvekar is pitted against former BJP MLA Madan Yerawar, ended today with actress Nagma and industries minister Narayan Rane addressing a rally here.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Nandini's husband and sitting legislator, Nilesh Parvekar, in road accident earlier this year.
Nilesh was an active member of the Rahul Gandhi brigade and one of the five Youth Congress leaders who were given party tickets by Rahul during the 2009 Maharashtra elections.
The contest became unavoidable as opposition BJP refused to oblige Congress' request to give Nandini a walkover.

Besides Nandini, 15 other candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the by-election. With the exception of BJP, the rest 14 candidates are contesting as Independents.
Addressing a gathering of Congress-NCP alliance, Rane criticised BJP for its refusal to give a walkover to Nandini.

"It is not an election to score a political mileage. All like-minded parties have come together to ensure unopposed contest except BJP", Rane said.
Rane and Nagma also led a motor-cycle rally on the occasion.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan yesterday night addressed a rally here and appealed to voters to get Nandini elected.

The counting for the bypoll will be held on June 5.