India, Jan. 21 -- He's ducking the law for now but Vilas Patil, 57, might emerge as kingmaker in elections to the Bhiwandi Nizampura Municipal Corporation (BNMC).

The civic poll has delivered a fractured verdict in the BNMC, with the Congress bagging 30 seats in the 90-member house. The BJP is in second place with 22 seats, Shiv Sena with 12, NCP (SP) 12, Samajwadi Party 6, Konark Vikas Aghadi 4, and Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi with 4 seats.

With none of the major parties even close to the 46-seat halfway mark required for a simple majority, political parties here are on tenterhooks. They know that Patil, who heads the Konark Vikas Aghadi (KVA), could hold the key to who rules the BNMC. They also know his strength goes beyond the four seats w...