Shi'ite bloc ahead in Iraqi province

BAGHDAD, March 12 (Reuters) - The Iraqi National Alliance, a mainly Shi'ite bloc that is a chief rival to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, was ahead in Maysan province, according to the latest early results released by Iraq's electoral commission.

Results representing 23 percent of votes counted in the mainly Shi'ite province southeast of Baghdad showed the National Alliance, which is close to Iran, with 29,454 votes compared to Maliki's State of Law bloc with 22,460 votes. Iraqiya, a cross-sectarian secularist coalition, was trailing far behind. (Reporting by Khalid al-Ansary and Rania El Gamal; Editing by)