Shiv Sena emerges as largest party in Kalyan-Dombivli elections
It may seek the support of smaller parties to reach the majority mark, instead of joining hands with the BJP.
The Shiv Sena on Monday emerged as the largest party in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation with 52 seats out of 122 in the elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which fought independently, won 42 seats. The Shiv Sena fell short of the majority mark of 62, but may seek the support of smaller parties instead of joining hands with the BJP, reported the Hindustan Times.
Party spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "Shiv Sena is Shiv Sena and no one can put it on [the] back foot. [The] entire Maharashtra government had turned up [for campaigning] in Kalyan-Dombivli. Still, [the] Sena has succeeded in winning people's confidence. This is Sena's bastion, it never relied on [the] use of money and power. We humbly accept the result and those who have lost should introspect."
The BJP was in alliance with Shiv Sena in the last KDMC elections, but the two fought this edition separately following constant sparring in the build-up. The outcome of the civic polls may change the power dynamic in the Maharashtra government, which is formed of a BJP-Shiv Sena coalition. The Sena has earlier threatened to quit the alliance.