Overcoming the anti-incumbency factor, the Shiv Sena-BJP combine on Friday appeared set to retain the prestigious Mumbai and neighbouring Thane municipal corporations.

In the 152-member Pune Municipal Corporation, where state's ruling Congress-NCP alliance fought separately, the NCP is leading the tally winning 38 of the 104 seats declared so far. The Congress has won 17.

Springing a surprise, Raj Thackeray's MNS is second largest with 21 seats, BJP 17 and Shiv Sena 08. The Congress- NCP combine had won the elections to the Pune municipal body in 2007.

In cash-rich BMC, the ruling saffron alliance which has a tie-up with Ramdas Athavale's RPI, has either won or is leading in 107 seats, just seven behind the magic figure of 114. The Sena is leading the table with 77 seats, ally BJP 29 and RPI one. The Congress has either won or is leading in 54 seats and NCP in 13.

Seeking a larger political space for itself, Shiv Sena boss Bal Thackeray's estranged nephew Raj Thackeray's MNS is ahead in 27 places, up from 7 in 2007.

The Sena-BJP combine had won 112 seats in BMC polls in 2007, just two short of the magic 114, but had enlisted the support of four independents later.

In Thane where results for all the 130 seats are out, the ruling Sena-BJP-RPI combine has pocketed 62 seats, needing just four more for a majority. While the Sena garnered 53 seats and BJP 8, the RPI could not reap a good harvest and finished with just one. With seven independents also emerging victorious, the saffron alliance should not find it difficult to secure a majority.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is all set to lose the Nashik municipal corporation where Raj Thackeray's MNS is leading the tally with 33 of the 94 seats declared so far. In the 122- member body, the Sena has secured 12 seats and BJP just nine.

NCP has pocketed 20 seats and Congress 14.

The Congress-NCP alliance retained its hold on Solapur municipal body together winning 60 seats in the 102-member House. While Congress secured 44 seats, NCP got 16. The Shiv Sena-BJP combine together fetched 34 seats. The BJP got 26 and the Sena eight.

The NCP retained the 126-member Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body, securing an absolute majority, winning 73 out of 124 seats declared results so far.

The Congress bagged 16 seats and Shiv Sena 14. The MNS which did not have a single member in the last civic body opened its account winning four seats.

In 145-member Nagpur civic body, held by the BJP-Shiv Sena combine in 2007, the BJP has secured 37 of the 80 seats declared so far and its saffron ally four. The main opposition Congress has won 21 seats and NCP just two.

However, in a setback for the ruling alliance, city Mayor Archana Dehankar (BJP) and her deputy Shekhar Sawarbandhe (Shiv Sena) have lost.