Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday directed the BJP to immediately sever its local alliances with the Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in two municipal councils, asserting that such tie-ups were “not acceptable” to the party.
Reacting to alliances formed in Ambernath and Akot ahead of the January 15 municipal council elections, Fadnavis said the BJP would not tolerate partnerships with the Congress or AIMIM. “Alliance with Congress and AIMIM is not acceptable. It will have to be broken. Directives have been issued, and the matter will be looked into. Disciplinary action will be taken if anyone has violated party orders,” he said.
Within hours of the statement, the Indian National Congress announced the suspension of Ambernath Congress chief Pradip Patil and dissolved the local Congress committee.
In Ambernath, around 60 km from Mumbai, the BJP had formed the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi to keep the Shiv Sena out of power. The front included 14 BJP members, 12 from the Congress, four from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, and one Independent. A letter submitted to the Thane district collector named Abhijeet Gulabrao Karanjule-Patil as group leader.
While the BJP managed to secure the municipal council chairman’s post, the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats. Both Eknath Shinde and Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan hail from Thane district, and the alliance was seen as part of a local power tussle to retain control over leadership positions.
A similar controversy surfaced in Akot municipal council in Akola district, where the BJP registered the Akot Vikas Manch by aligning with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, which emerged as the second-largest party with five seats. The front also includes both factions of the Shiv Sena, both factions of the NCP, and Bachchu Kadu’s Prahar Janshakti Party. BJP corporator Ravi Thakur was named group leader, making it mandatory for alliance members to follow the whip.
The alliance currently commands 25 of the 33 seats in the council and is set to vote together in the January 13 elections for deputy president and co-opted members. Congress and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi corporators will sit in the Opposition.
Responding to the developments, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshavardhan Sapkal said there was no question of an alliance between the BJP and the Congress, as both parties had fought each other politically. He added that the party had sought a report on the matter and would take action if the allegations were substantiated.
