Alone,NCP keeps Navi Mumbai

It was the first time the two key partners in the state government had gone alone in the NMMC civic body elections. NCP chief Sharad Pawar had instructed party leaders to form an alliance with the Congress,but their talks failed.

Sources said Navi Mumbai strongman Ganesh Naik had insisted that the party go solo. The Excise Minister had felt a tie-up would have resulted in surrendering some seats held by NCP corporators,including that of former deputy mayor Shashikant Birajdar (a close aide of Naik).

Naik had also wooed eight Shiv Sena corporators into the NCP fold to take on the Sena,which was the NCP’s main opponent.

The NCP’s 55 seats bettered its earlier count of 47. The Congress won only 13 seats,two less than its earlier 15. The Shiv Sena won 16 seats and the BJP one,each holding on to as many seats as they had earlier. The MNS,contesting in the Navi Mumbai civic polls for the first time,won none.

NCP sources said Naik has now entrenched himself in the region more firmly than ever. Naik’s elder son (and former Navi Mumbai mayor) Sanjiv is a Lok Sabha MP,and younger son Sandeep an MLA.

The NCP had candidates in 88 seats,the Congress in 83 seats and the MNS in 59. The Shiv Sena and the BJP,in their first-ever alliance for the Navi Mumbai civic elections,had contested 74 and 14 respectively.

Around 6.29 lakh voters were registered for voting across 639 polling centres; the turnout was 52 per cent.