Mumbai: The NCP on Thursday said that poor performance of ally Congress in the municipal corporation polls may be the reason why the ruling coalition could not wrest the corporations controlled by Shiv Sena and BJP in Maharashtra.
Sena-BJP retained power in Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur.

Talking to reporters here, party spokesperson Madan Bafna said that though NCP emerged as the single largest party in 27 Zilla Parishads and ten municipal corporations, results in Mumbai, Thane and Nashik were below expectations.

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"It could be that the numbers of the Congress went down in the election, which affected the prospects of the alliance," he said.
"Our endeavour is to ensure that NCP emerges as the single-largest party in the 2014 assembly election," he said, adding that the party was not eyeing the Chief Minister`s post, currently held by Congress.

He refuted reports that a cabinet reshuffle was on cards in Maharashtra, and four of the NCP ministers may be axed. "The report is baseless," he said.

About Nashik mayor`s election, Bafna said that senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal had been authorised to take decision.

State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre had said earlier that his party will support NCP in Nashik only if the candidate for mayor`s post was either from Congress or NCP. "We will not support anybody from outside," he said.
Raj Thackeray-led MNS has emerged as the single-largest party in Nashik.
PTI