Mumbai: The state units of BJP and Congress were left red-faced after their local units in Ambernath (Thane district) allied to form the municipal council. While the state BJP distanced itself from the move,
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis termed it a violation of party discipline. Congress, meanwhile, suspended its 12 councillors involved in the alliance.
About The Situation In Akot
In another setback, BJPs local unit in Akot (Akola district) aligned with Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM, drawing criticism from BJP leaders. These two developments, coming amid campaigning for elections to 29 municipal corporations, triggered a furore and invited strong reactions from both the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. Reacting to the developments, Fadnavis said such arrangements lacked approval from BIP state leadership and amounted to a breach of discipline.
Any alliance with Congress or AIMIM will not be accepted. If any local leader has taken such a decision on his own, it is wrong in terms of discipline, and action will be taken,” he said.
About The Ambernath Alliance
The Shiv Sena, led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, which was furious over the Ambernath decision, termed the move a betrayal of coalition dharma. As reported, BJP leaders in Ambernath formed the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi with the Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP to run the civic body. This relegated the Shinde-led Shiv Sena to the opposition benches.
Following reports of the alliance on Wednesday, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee suspended 12 councillors and dissolved the Ambernath block committee. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) also dissolved the Ambernath block committee. In Akot, the BJP, along with the AIMIM, two factions of the Shiv Sena, the NCP, former MLA Bachchu Kadu’s Prahar Janshakti Party, and other groups, formed the Akot Vikas Manch to govern the civic body.
The state BJP issued a show-cause notice to local MLA Prakash Bharsakhle, seeking an explanation. “You have undermined the party ideology by aligning with the AIMIM,” said the notice issued by BJP state president Ravindra Chavan. The Shiv Sena (UBT) reacted sharply, saying the developments reflected double standards and showed that the BJP could go to any extent to grab power. Party MP Sanjay Raut said the alignments in Akot and Ambernath exposed the BJP’s frivolous political behaviour.
Sanjay Raut added that these alliances contradicted the BJP’s stated ideological positions. Meanwhile, BJP leaders in Akola claimed the AIMIM councillors had quit their party and joined the Akot Vikas Manch. AIMIM leader and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel said, “Our political stance is against the BJP. I have asked the party incharge in Akot to brief me immediately.”
Owaisi has made it clear that his party will not have a truck with the BJP, he said. Akola BJP MLA Randhir Savarkar claimed that out of the five AIMIM council members in Akot, four "rejected the party's hardline and communal stance" and chose to join the Akot Vikas Manch.
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