Mumbai, February 18 The BJP has suffered a setback ahead of the mayoral elections in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur municipal body, with nine of its 22 corporators forming a separate group and extending support to the Congress-led alliance, paving the way for the party to elect its mayor.
With the support of the Bhiwandi Secular Front (BSF), formed by the breakaway corporators, the Congress-NCP (SP) alliance has crossed the halfway mark of 46 in the 90-member body, a Congress functionary said on Wednesday.
"The nine corporators have decided to support us," he said, adding that differences had cropped up between the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Notably, the Samajwadi Party had supported the Shiv Sena.
The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur municipal corporation elections held last month, now looks set to install its own mayor and deputy mayor.
The polls had thrown up a fractured verdict, with the Congress securing the maximum number of 30 seats, followed by the BJP (22), Shiv Sena (12), NCP-SP (12), Samajwadi Party (6), Konark Vikas Aghadi (4), and Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi (3). One Independent candidate also won.