BMC polls: Sena-BJP romp home - Video

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The Shiv Sena-BJP combine today was set for another five-year term in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and in several other cities, surging ahead of the Congress which suffered reverses in most of the elections to 10 civic bodies in Maharashtra.

The Sena-led combine -- which had suffered serious reverses in all the assembly by-elections in the past two years after the splits by Narayan Rane, who shifted allegiance to the Congress, and by Raj Thackeray -- surprisingly managed to get a bare majority on its own, bagging or securing unassailable leads in 112 of the 227 seats.

Firecrackers were burst and sweets distributed outside Matoshree, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's home in suburban Bandra, as news of the victory reached party supporters who had gathered there in large numbers.

Mumbai's voters reposed their faith in the combine despite the Sena-led civic body facing a lot of criticism for a spate of problems, as was evident during the deluge in July 26, 2005.

The Congress and NCP were trailing with 65 and 15 results or leads respectively. Results or trends from six seats were awaited.

The BJP-Sena secured 40 seats in the Nashik corporation but failed to muster a majority, resulting in a hung House. In Nagpur, the BJP emerged the biggest party with 57 seats while the Congress bagged 32.

In Pune, the NCP emerged as the single largest party with 41 seats while the Congress won 36 seats. The Sena and BJP won 20 and 25 seats each.

In Pimpri-Chinchwad, the NCP emerged a clear winner with 60 of the total of 105 seats. The Congress got 20 seats while the Sena won 4.

In Solapur, the Congress emerged the single largest party with 40 of the total 98 seats. The NCP secured 14.

In Thane, Shiv Sena once again led the way with 48 seats. The Congress and NCP garnered 16 and 25 seats respectively. BJP managed a meagre 5 seats.

In Nasik, the Sena again managed to hold fort with 27 seats under their belt. The Congress and NCP won 21 and 18 respectively.

Updated at 1700 hrs: The Shiv Sena-BJP combine looks set to sweep the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections with the alliance leading in 109 seats.

The Congress is leading in 69 seats, NCP in 16 and MNS in seven. Independents and others are together leading in 23 seats.

Updated at 1600hrs: The Shiv Sena-BJP combine has fared well in elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and is moving towards a majority, having secured leads in 92 of the 185 seats for which trends were available from the total of 227 wards.

Apart from Mumbai, polls were held in Thane, Nashik, Ulhasnagar, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Nagpur, Akola and Amravati corporations in Maharashtra yesterday.

The Sena's nearest rival, the Congress, is leading in 39 seats while the NCP, an ally of the Congress in the state and central governments, was ahead in 16 seats.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, floated by rebel Sena leader Raj Thackeray, was leading in four wards.

The mood was jubilant outside Matoshri, Sena chief Bal Thackeray's home in suburban Bandra, with Shiv Sainiks gathering in large numbers with flags and bursting crackers.

The Sena-BJP combine is leading in Nagpur while the NCP has won a comfortable majority in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Updated at 1309 hrs: The tiger is roaring and the Congress seems to be quaking in its boots. Shiv Sena has surged ahead in the Mumbai municipal corporation election as trends for nearly half of the 227 wards seem to indicate.

Of the 140 wards for which trends were available, Sena-BJP were leading in 71 while Congress was leading in 46 and its ally NCP was leading in six.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, floated by rebel Sena leader Raj Thackeray was leading in five wards.

Counting began at 9 am for the polls held in 10 municipal corporations, including Mumbai.

Update at 1219hrs: In the counting of votes for 10 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, currently underway, initial results show the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance leading in 61 seats, Congress in 35, NCP in 9 and MNS in 5, and others 18.

In the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) elections, the Sena has won 8 seats out of the 16 seats declared so far.

The NCP has won six seats, while BJP has bagged two seats and Congress is yet to open its account. Total number of seats in the TMC is 116.

The BMC elections are widely considered a prestige issue for the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance. The alliance has a ten-year stranglehold over the civic body.

Updated at 1103 hrs: Shiv Sena is leading in four seats, Congress in two seats in the initial round of counting of votes for the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai which began this morning.

According to the state election commission, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the NCP were leading in one seat each.

Parties are contesting for the 227 seats in the municipal council.

Meanwhile, a report from Nasik said Congress candidate Vandana Manchanda from Ward No 66 in Nasik Road division won by defeating her rival Pushpa Tajanpure.