And while the scales of fortunes see-sawed, Sena corporators and the combined opposition (Congress, Ulhasnagar People's Party, and the RPI) hackled each other, held dharnas, engaged in scuffles and even threw soda bottles making a complete mockery of the process of election.

Right from the beginning when nominations were filed it was a one-to-one contest. While Shiv Sena had decided to support Ailani following an aadesh from supremo Bal Thackeray, bothRPI and Ulhasnagar People's Party had backed Congress candidate Makhija. It was billed to be a close contest as in the 68-member House both ruling and opposition benches have equal representation: 34 each. However, today when the House assembled ruling Sena was in high spirits. The reason for their jubilation was the absence of Congress corporator Gop Behrani from the house.

While the voting itself passed off peacefully, trouble broke out soon after the civic secretary announced the beginning of counting. Corporators from all parties ran up to counting table and surrounded the returning officer J D Shende.

When the results were declared Hardas Makhija had secured 34 votes and Ailani had secured 33. As the opposition burst into celebrations, a scuffle broke out between male Congress and Sena-BJP corporators. Women corporators too indulged in a slang-match. While the opposition insisted that the results declared were correct and that Makhija should be declared elected, Shiv Sena members maintained thatone vote cast in Congress candidate's favour was invalid.

For over half-and-hour the civic secretary kept requesting the members to go back to their seats. But no one budged. In between the returning officer declared Makhija as victorious. However, the mayor refused to sign the statement made by the returning officer and adjourned the House for 15 minutes even as police were summoned to control the corporators.

The mayor was later joined in her chamber by Thane district chief of Sena Anand Dighe, Sena MP Prakash Paranjpe and senior BJP leader Sitaldas Harchandani.

Sensing that Sena leaders were trying to influence mayor's decision, Congress corporators led by Jaya moved towards mayor's chamber. They were stopped midway by Sena corporators who threw soda bottles at them. Howeve, police soon threw a cordon around Congress members preventing anybody from getting injured.

When the House reassembled, Naik made a terse statement: ``I reject the returning officer's statement and maintain that there was aninvalid vote cast in Makhija favour. Since both the candidates now have 33 votes I exercise the option vested in me to vote as the presiding authority and vote for Ailani. Hence, he is declared the winner.''

All hell broke loose after this. As Sena members cheered, the opposition members stood on benches and raised anti-Sena slogans. When their sloganeering was ignored and the process for election of the deputy mayor was initiated, the Opposition walked out in protest.

Later Dhananjay Bodare of Sena was elected as deputy mayor.