Election rivals shake hands outside Siddhivinayak temple

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate Amit Thackeray and his Shiv Sena rival Sada Sarvankar on Wednesday came face-to-face outside the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai where both of them shook hands.

Thackeray and Sarvankar, who sought the deity’s blessings at the temple, are pitted against each other in Mahim assembly constituency located in Mumbai's south central area.

Both of them were among the early voters here as polling was underway on Wednesday for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra.

Sarvankar, who is the sitting MLA from Mahim seat, said he wishes good luck to all candidates.

Thackeray, who is contesting his first election, said he is not tense.

The BJP wanted Sarvankar to withdraw in support of Amit Thackeray as his father and MNS head Raj Thackeray supported the NDA in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.

But Sarvankar stayed put and refused to back out.

Mahesh Sawant of the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) is also in the fray in the Mahim seat.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena's Mumbadevi candidate Shaina NC and Byculla seat nominee Yamini Jadhav also cast their votes in the early hours of polling.