Suresh alias Balu Dhanorkar, Congress candidate from Chandrapur took lead of 6,776 votes at 1.20 pm.
While Dhanorkar polled 1,03112 votes, Ahir managed to get 96,336 votes. Chandrapur constituency witnessed a lot of drama while ticket distribution. The ticket was first allotted to Vinayak Bangde and with a lot of pressure from the local cadre and other factions, the ticket was allotted to Dhanorkar, who had quit Shiv Sena and joined Congress to contest the Lok Sabha polls. The caste factor plays a major role in Chandrapur where Kunbi votes are the deciding factor. Experts say that Dhanorkar, also a Kunbi can encash this factor.
Rana. Akola too was going in stride of alliance with Sanjay Dhotre of BJP getting a solid lead of 1,01,526 votes over his nearest rival Adv Prakash Ambedkar of Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi. However, there could be some respite for the Congress-NCP alliance with its candidate Balu alias Suresh Dhanorkar going neck-and-neck with his rival and seating BJP MP Hansraj Ahir. The figures changed every minute with each one leading with a slender margin. At 12.15 pm Ahir was leading with 1864 votes.
In Bhandara-Gondia, BJP candidate Sunil Mendhe had taken a lead of 38,045 votes over NCP’s Nana Panchbudhe. Prataprao Jadhav of Shiv Sena was leading with 48,976 votes in Buldana over NCP’s Dr Rajendra Shingane.
In Gadchiroli, Ashok Nete had taken the lead right from the beginning and was ahead by 36,139 votes over his nearest rival of Namdeo Usendi of Congress.
Wardha too was going in favour of BJP where Ramdas Tadas maintained a lead of 19,811 votes over his nearest rival Charulata Tokas of Congress.
In Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha seat, Bhavana Gawali of Shiv Sena was leading with 16,009 votes over Manikrao Thakre of Congress.
