India, Jan. 26 -- After discussions that lasted more than a week, the Congress, NCP (SP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) will together stake their claim to power in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) by forging the Bhiwandi Secular Front.

A consensus had eluded political parties in the township, ten days after results were declared in elections to 29 municipal corporations in the state.

But there's already a twist in the tale - differences between senior SP leaders could derail the fledgling front, handing rivals an opening.

The idea of a front emerged after the Congress (30 seats), NCP-SP (12 seats) and Samajwadi Party (6 seats) decided to make a joint bid for power, with the mayoral post going to the Congress in the 90-membe...