Mumbai: Staging a remarkable comeback after a series ofelectoral debacles and splits in the party, Shiv Sena yesterdayday surged aheadwith its ally BJP to retain power in cash-rich Mumbai Municipal Corporation andwas tipped to capture civic bodies in three other cities while Congress and NCPappeared set to bag four other towns.

Written off by pollsters after splits effected by Narayan Rane and RajThackeray and the debacles in successive assembly bye-elections, the saffroncombine retained in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in the country'sfinancial capital for a second term.

The Congress and NCP, which are allies at the Centre and the state governmentbut fought the polls separately, paid the price of failing to forge a unitedfight by conceding Nagpurand Thane and was close to losing Nashik.

However, in Akola,the only city where Congress and NCP went with a pre-poll tie-up, the twoparties, having secured 31 seats in the 71-member corporation, are poised toregain power dislodging the saffron alliance which is way behind.

The Congress led in Solapur, the NCP retained Pimpri-Chinchwad while leading ina hung Pune corporation and togteher they could win Amravati.

The saffron alliance got 111 in the 227-seat Mumbai civic body. The Sena wasleading in one more ward while Congress, which secured 69 seats, led in two.

Sena-BJP combine may fall short of majority in Mumbai by three seats butindications are that it may garner support of some of the nine independents toretain power.