The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance tonight retained control of the country's richest corporation BMC and Thane municipal corporation thumping state's ruling Congress-NCP combine which continued its hold on Solapur, Amravati and Pimpri Chinchwad.
The ruling BJP was all set to emerge as the single largest party in 145-member Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), bagging 56 out of the 125 seats results of which have been declared so far.
Congress emerged as the biggest party in 102-member Solapur Municipal Corporation in south Maharashtra, and looked set to retain the power by striking alliance with NCP.
Though the magic figure of 114 eluded the saffron alliance--Shiv Sena 75 and BJP 32-- in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, by just seven seats, it may not be difficult to secure a majority with the help of independents and smaller parties which have secured 28 seats.
While the Congress secured 50 seats, NCP finished with just 14. Raj Thackeray's MNS did remarkably well with 28 seats, up 21 seats it got in 2007.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan called the result as "surprising" and conceded defeat.
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"The result is surprising...Unexpected. We tried to consolidate secular votes but could not meet with desired outcome," Chavan told reporters.
In 2007 polls, Shiv Sena had won 84 seats and BJP 28, but obtained a majority with the help of four independents, taking their tally to 116.
Fighting separately, Congress had won 75 seats and NCP 14. Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) won 7 seats and Samajwadi Party 7.