Triangular fight in Bandra (E)

MUMBAI: It will be a triangular contest for the Bandra-East bypoll, with former chief minister and Congress nominee Narayan Rane, Shiv Sena’s Trupti Sawant and MIM’s Siraj Khan in the fray.
While Trupti, widow of senior Sena leader Prakash Sawant, filed her nomination papers on Monday, Rane and Khan are expected to do so on Tuesday. MIM had been undecided on whether to contest or not, but party leader and Byculla legislator Waris Pathan declared on Monday that Khan will be their nominee.“We are sure to win,’’ Pathan said.
MNS is unlikely to contest and will not support any candidate too. Rane’s legislator son Nitesh met MNS chief Raj Thackeray, seeking his support but he had to go back disappointed.
“I am contesting in view of mounting pressure from the Mumbai and state Congress units,’’ Rane said.
Rane said it should not be difficult to wrest the seat from the Sena in view of the dismal performance of the BJP governments in the state and at the Centre.
Matoshree, the residence of Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, is part of the constituency. A senior leader said, “Bandra is traditionally a Sena stronghold. We will retain the seat with the biggest margin.’’