India, Dec. 22 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday secured the municipal council president's post in both Ambernath and Badlapur in Thane district, dealing a blow to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in its stronghold.

BJP candidates Tejashree Karanjule in Ambernath, and Ruchita Ghorpade in Badlapur, defeated Shiv Sena candidates Manisha Wadekar and Veena Mhatre, respectively, though the BJP could win only 14 out of 59 seats in the Ambernath Municipal Council, while the Shiv Sena won 27 seats and the Congress won 12 seats. The Sena had been in power in Ambernath for more than two decades. In the neighbouring Kulgaon-Badlapur Municipal Council, the BJP and Shiv Sena won 23 seats each out of the 49 seats, while the Ajit Pawar-led N...