Kingmaker MNS keeps up the suspense

For either the Shiv Sena-BJP or the Congress-NCP to come to power in the twin towns,the support of MNS,which has won 27 seats in the KDMC,is needed. BJP has won nine seats,Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 14,Congress 15 and Shiv Sena 31. Independents won 11. The results were announced on Monday.

During the campaign,a war of words had erupted between MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his uncle and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

However,the Shiv Sena bettered its tally and the MNS,a new entrant to KDMC,made a big mark. The Congress,NCP and BJP lost over five seats each. The BJP,which lost seats in its traditional stronghold of Dombivli where RSS has dominance,feels the damage was due to the Sena-MNS fight. BJP leaders said they would be at a loss politically if there is a Sena-BJP alliance with NCP (Pune pattern) or Sena-BJP alliance with MNS (Ambernath pattern).

The NCP has,however,ruled out any alliance to come to power in KDMC. Speaking to reporters in the temple town of Pandharpur,NCP chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said the party was not interested in forming an alliance to claim power in KDMC,but they would form an alliance with the Congress to come to power in Kolhapur.