Wednesday, July 6 2005 20:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Ramdas Kadam was today (July 6, 2005) elected the new leader of Shiv Sena legislature party in Maharashtra, replacing expelled former Chief Minister Narayan Rane.

Kadam, a MLA from Khed in Konkan region to which Rane also belongs, was elected unanimously at a meeting of party MLAs in Mumbai, which was attended by around 50 of 63 party MLAs, party sources said.

Kadam, four-time MLA since 1990, have been representing the Khed assembly constituency in Ratnagiri district.

He was re-elected to the lower house in 1995, 1999 and 2004. He was the Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies from 1996 to 1999 during Sena-BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) coalition Government. He had also held the portfolio of Minister of State for Home in 1999.