Six councillors of Raj Thackeray's MNS in BMC to join Uddhav's Shiv Sena?

The bypoll result of Bhandup civic body was begged by The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. Shiv Sena lost the Bhandup bypoll, but Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) seems to be paying the price. According to reports, six out of seven MNS corporators in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are set to join the Shiv Sena. 

After Bhandup bypoll results, BJP seemed determined to challenge Shiv Sena's number one position in BMC.  As of now, the BJP has 82 corporators, while the Sena has 84 corporators, a lead of two councillors. The Sena further has the support of four independents and the BJP has the support of two independents.

A slight change in numbers could change the fortunes of BJP and Shiv Sena. But Shiv Sena seemed to have made the first successful move. 

The group of six corporators led by Dilip Lande has written to the Konkan divisional commissioner to allow them to form a separate group in the BMC, the Hindustan Times reported.

MNS has condemned the developments and vowed to teach the "traitors" a lesson. MNS will approach Konkan divisional commissioner to not allow this split, say media reports.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has complained to the state election commission that a major political party in the Mumbai civic body was trying to buy corporators.