New Delhi, Feb 18: Congress party is worried that its dismal performance in municipal polls in Mubai and Thane might impact its prospects in UP.

Congress was confident of winning Mubai, the richest corporation in the country with a budget bigger than Goa and Uttarakhand. But the Shivsena-BJP combine and the splinter Sena group led by Raj Thackerey have routed the Congress. In the 227-member Bruhan Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Shivasena won 75 seats, BJP 32 and Congress 50, NCP 14, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (Raj Thackerey) 28 and others 28. It looks as if the BJP-Sena combine would capture the corporation by reaching the magic figure of 114, by taking along some independents and rebels, without even bothering to ask for the support of Raj Thackrey’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Having lost the biggest corporation in the country, now Congress is worried that this result might influence its prospects in UP, the election of which was taken as a prestigious issue with party president Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Vadhra and her husband Robert Vadhra touring the state extensively. Congress experts are worried that this result might influence the floating votes.