The Union Minister for Defence Production, Mr. Vithal N. Gadgil, was defeated as the Congress yielded eight seats to the Janata Party and its poll allies when results of 19 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra were declared by 22-30 hours.

The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Y.B. Chavan and former Chief Minister, Mr. V.P. Naik, were among the nine Congress candidates who won.

The Janata Party had won six seats and its allies, Peasants and Worker’s Party three and CPM one.

Mrs. Premalabai Chavan (Congress-Karad) retained her seat while her party colleagues, Mr Santoshrao Gode and Mr. T.S. Shringare kept the Wardha and Usmanabad (Reserved) seats, for the Congress.

Prof. Madhu Dandavate (Janata) retained his Rajpur seat.

While the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. A.P. Shinde (Ahmednagar) had established a lead over his immediate rivals, the Union Law Minister, Mr. H.R. Gokhale (Bombay North-west) was trailing behind his Janata Party rival when reports last came in.

Mr. Chandrakant Parulekar (Janata) wrested the Ratnagiri seat from the sitting member, Mr. S.L. Peje (Congress).

Mr. V.P. Naik was elected for the first time to the Lok Sabha from the newly carved constituency of Washim, defeating his nearest rival, Mr. S.S. Khandare (RPI-Khobragade, supported by Janata) by more than 73,000 votes.

In Bombay North-east constituency, according to the latest counting, Dr. Subramaniam Swamy (BLD) was leading by 39,530 votes. He has so far polled 87,662 against 48,132 polled by Mr. Raja Gopal Kulkarni (Congress) in a seven- cornered contest.

In Bombay North-west constituency Mr. Ram Jethmalani (Janata) has secured so far 1,30,481 votes against his main rival in a six-cornered contest Mr. H.R. Gokhale, Union Law Minister, who has polled so far 80,596 votes.

In Bombay South, Mr. Ratansinh Raja (Janata), was leading by over 30,000 votes against his Congress rival Prof. R.C. Ankleshwaria with over 1.76 lakh votes counted.

In Bombay South-Central, Mr. B.C. Kamle (Republican-Janata supported ) was leading by about 22,000 votes against Mr. V.R. Hoshing (Congress) with over 1.62 lakh votes counted. Mrs. Roza Deshpande (CPI) was trailing far behind with only 16, 203 votes.

Bhandare defeated

Another notable victory for Janata Parts was that of Mrs. V. Ahilya Ranganekar, CPM, who stood from Bombay Noth- Central. She defeated in a multi-cornered contest Mr. R.D. Bhandare, the Congress candidate, by 64, 328 votes. Mr. Bhandare resigned from the Governorship of Andhra Pradesh to contest from this constituency on the last day of filing nomination.

Mrs. Mrinal Gore (Janata) was declared elected from the Bombay North constituency. She polled 2,78,246 votes as against the 1,31,156 polled by Mr. R. Harria (Congress).

From Khed (Pune district) Mr. M.D. Magar (Cong.) was declared elected defeating his only rival Mr. Mukundrao Bhujbal Patil (Janata) by a margin of 19,526 votes. Congress retains this seat.

Mr. Surajratan Fatehsingh Damani (Cong.) (1,82,424) was elected from Sholapur constituency. His rival Mr. Maddappa Bandappa Kadadi (BLD) polled 1,49,381 votes.

In Kulaba Mr. D.B. Patil (PWP) in a straight fight defeated Mr. Shankar Babaji Sawant (Congress), Mr. Dinkar Balu Patil (PWP).

Mr. Tukaram Sadas Shingare (Congress was elected from Osmanabad constituency of Maharashtra. The CPM candidate Mr. Lahanu Shidva Kom won the Dahanu (Scheduled tribes) sent in Maharashtra, defeating his Congress rival Mr. L.K. Dumada who held the seat in dessolved Lok Sabha.

Mrs. Premalabai D. Chavan (Congress, sitting) retained her Karad seat, defeating her nearest rival Mr. B.B. Desai (Peasants and Workers Party, Janata supported) by a margin of 70,815 votes in a four-cornered fight.

Mr. Pundik Danave (Janata) wrested the Jalna seat from the Congress, defeating Mr. Manikrao Palodkar, Congress member of the dissolved Lok Sabha shifted to this new constituency from Aurangabad by 24,645 votes in a straight fight.

Mr. Santoshrao Vyamkatrao Gode (Cong.) retained Wardha seat for his party.

Mr. E.V. Vikhe (Congress-sitting) retained the Kopargaon seat, defeating his nearest rival Kishor Pawar (Janata) by a margin of 98,544 votes.