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Congress suspends 12 leaders in Ambernath after they secretly allied with the BJP to form the municipal council leadership. How did this surprise coalition bypass state approval, and what does it mean for Maharashtra’s political balance?
The Congress won 12 seats in the Ambernath municipal council elections
Thane: The Congress on Wednesday took the rare step of suspending its local leadership in Ambernath after party councillors joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the municipal council leadership. The move has caused embarrassment for the opposition party amid a growing political row over cross-party civic alliances in Maharashtra.
Ganesh Patil, vice president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), wrote to Ambernath Congress block president Pradeep Patil, informing him of his suspension. The disciplinary action was taken after local Congress councillors allegedly formed an alliance with the BJP without informing or seeking approval from the state leadership.
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Patil’s letter stated: “We have fought elections on the Congress symbol and won 12 seats. However, without informing the state leadership or the state office, you have entered into an alliance with the BJP. This is not a good thing. As per the instructions of the state president, you are being suspended from the party.”
The state leadership, led by Harshwardhan Sapkal, called the post-poll alliance “unacceptable” and emphasized that it came to light only through media reports.
The suspension comes amid wider controversy in Maharashtra over post-poll alliances forged by the BJP with rival parties. In Ambernath, the BJP joined forces with the Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under the banner of ‘Ambernath Vikas Aghadi’ to form the civic body’s leadership. This move sidelined ally Shiv Sena, which emerged as the single largest party in the 60-member municipal council.
In Ambernath, the election results were as follows: Shiv Sena- 27 seats, BJP- 14 seats, Congress- 12 seats, NCP- 4 seats, and 2 independents. With the support of an independent, the BJP-Congress-NCP combine crossed the majority mark, enabling the election of a BJP councillor as council president on Wednesday.
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The alliance has drawn criticism from several quarters. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis rejected the post-poll coalition and warned of action against BJP leaders involved in the decision. The Congress suspension reflects the party’s effort to assert discipline and prevent further internal dissent, as the cross-party alliances continue to stir political debate across the state.
The Ambernath controversy is expected to reignite discussions over post-poll alliances in Maharashtra, particularly as municipal elections in other regions could witness similar collaborations between traditional rivals.
