THANE, Jan. 20 -- The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has extended support to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Ulhasnagar, taking the Sena-led alliance's tally in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) to 39, one short of the majority mark at 40. "Eknath Shinde has assured us that areas in Ulhasnagar that have a large Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) population, especially Panel 8 including Subhash Tekdi, will be prioritised for development," Manoj Pawar, Thane president of the VBA which bagged two seats, said on Monday while declaring support for the Sena. On Sunday, VBA corporators Surekha Sonawane and Vikas Kharat had met Shinde at his Mumbai residence and submitted a letter of support to the Sena, which bagged 36 seats in the 78-member UMC. The BJP won 37 seats, while Sena ally Secular Alliance of India (SAI) and the Congress won one seat each, and one seat was bagged by an independent. VBA corporators said the decision to support the Sena was taken in the interest of the overall development of the municipal corporation area and to expedite stalled projects under the Dalit Settlement Improvement Scheme. Shiv Sena spokesperson Rahul Londhe said the VBA corporators had approached the Sena, as they felt that they party can address the needs of underdeveloped wards, where a majority of residents are from backward communities. "They were confident that the Shiv Sena, being in power in the state, and owing to the developmental work done by Eknath Shinde as deputy chief minister, will be able to develop the area. We have assured them of comprehensive development and basic civic facilities," Londhe said. Thane VBA president Pawar said they refrained from extending support to the BJP, which bagged the maximum seats, due to ideological differences....