Sena steady, BJP makes big gains, Congress decimated in Maha civic polls

Shiv Sena is leading in 84 seats, BJP 80, while Congress 31 in BMC

The ruling Shiv Sena appeared all set to retain control over the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India's biggest and richest civic body, election officials said on Thursday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was pushed to a distant second slot in Mumbai in the civic body elections held across Maharashtra.

Of the 227 BMC seats, the Sena led in 84, still short of the 114 needed for a simple majority.

The BJP had won 80 seats while the Congress was at a distant third with 31 seats to its credit.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) was poised to win 10 seats, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) eight and the All Indian Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen four.

Stunned by the outcome, Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam offered to resign from the post.

Buoyed by its imminent victory in Mumbai, Shiv Sena supporters celebrated across Mumbai.

The BMC had an annual budget of Rs 37,000 crore in 2016-17.