File photo: Congress leader Narayan Rane.
Senior Congress leader Narayan Rane will file his nomination papers today for the by-election to Bandra East Assembly constituency slated for April 11, Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam said.
Mr Rane will take on Trupti Sawant of Shiv Sena, wife of sitting MLA Bala Sawant whose death necessitated the bypoll.
Meanwhile, Mr Rane, whose candidature was announced on Sunday, visited the office of the Mumbai Congress and held talks with the party workers and office-bearers.
The Konkan strongman, who had served as a cabinet minister in the erstwhile Congress-NCP government, told reporters that he had come to congratulate Mr Nirupam who took over as the city unit chief earlier this month.
"The by-election is a good opportunity to give Nirupam a headstart as we will contest under his leadership," Mr Rane said.
Mr Nirupam said the entire city unit would unitedly work for Mr Rane's victory.
Interestingly, Mr Rane had expressed his displeasure over Mr Nirupam's appointment as he felt a Maharashtrian face was necessary to head the city unit.
Mr Nirupam said a meeting of party workers from the constituency will be held on Wednesday as part of the preparations for the election campaign.
The bypoll has become a high-profile contest as Mr Rane, former chief minister during the NDA rule in 1995, will take on Sena in the constituency which houses the residence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Meanwhile, Mr Rane called on NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence on Sunday and sought support of his party in the contest.
In October last year, late Bala Sawant of Shiv Sena defeated BJP's Mahesh Parkar by 15,000 votes to win the seat.