SS-BJP combine set to return to power in Brihanmumbai, Thane

Mumbai, Feb 2 (UNI) The Shiv Sena-BJP combine was tonight set to return to power in Mumbai and Thane while the electorate gave a mixed verdict elsewhere in elections to ten Municipal Corporations spread across Maharashtra.

The results indicate that the much-hyped 'Narayan Rane factor' failed in Mumbai while another former Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray did not make the expected dent in the Shiv Sena stronghold.

Congress has suffered a setback in Pune and Nagpur, which it had ruled for five years. However, NCP is likely to take help of the Congress to come to power in Pune Municipal Corporation because of the hung civic body.

Similarly, Raj Thackeray's one-year-old Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will play a key role in deciding who rules the Nashik municipal corporation.

In Mumbai, Shiv Sena-BJP combine has emerged the front runner to retain the 227-member richest and the biggest civic body in Asia, winning 93 of the total 192 seats declared so far. Shiv Sena emerged the single largest party with 71 seats while BJP bagged 22 seats.

Congress won 60, NCP 13, SP 7, BSP 1, Independents seven, others 11.

Except Mumbai, results of all other nine civic bodies have been declared by 1730 hrs.

In the neighbouring 116-member Thane Municipal Corporation, Shiv Sena bagged 48, BJP five, Congress 16, NCP 25, MNS three, SP five, BSP 2, Independents 11 and others one.

In the 76-member Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, Shiv Sena was the single largest party winning 16 seats, BJP 11, NCP 15, Congress five, MNS 2, RPI 6, Independents 6, Others 14. Interestingly, Jyoti Kalani, wife of the Ulhasnagar strongman Pappu Kalani, lost from her ward.

In the 144-member Pune Municipal Corporation, Congress bagged 35, NCP 42, BJP 25, Shiv Sena 20, MNS eight, Independents 14. NCP and Congress are likely to enter into a post-poll alliance here.

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