Shiv Sena expels woman who defeated Narayan Rane in bypoll

Mumbai, Oct 18 (IANS) The Shiv Sena on Friday expelled its rebel MLA Trupti Sawant - who had become a "giant-killer" by defeating the party's arch-rival Narayan Rane - for anti-party activities, sources said.Sawant had raised a banner of revolt in the backyard of Sena President Uddhav Thackeray in the prestigious Bandra East assembly constituency, where the family household 'Matoshri' is located.She filed papers as an independent against the Sena's official nominee and Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and her expulsion is the first by the party in the current elections.Sawant, the widow of the late senior Sena leader Prakash Sawant, had contested the bypolls and trounced former Chief Minister Rane of the Congress in 2015.The strict action against Sawant came just hours before the close of campaign for the October 21 Assembly elections though there are several other rebels in the fray against Sena's official candidates across the state.In the run-up to the polls, many Sena leaders and activists in cities like Nashik, Thane and Pune have quit the polls protesting against the Sena leadership for "handing over" strong seats to ally Bharatiya Janata Party.Piqued after she was denied a re-nomination, Sawant turned rebel and flouted a party diktat to take back her candidature on the last date of withdrawal of nominations.
--IANS qn/vd