After Congress, A BJP-AIMIM Tie-Up? Maharashtra Throws Up Another Surprise

Maharashtra's political landscape has witnessed yet another startling twist. The local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had entered into a direct alliance with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the Akot Municipal Council of Akola district, triggering a fierce political debate. Already facing criticism for aligning with the Congress in Ambernath, the BJP has once again drawn backlash for partnering with AIMIM, prompting questions about whether ideological principles are being sacrificed for political arithmetic.

BJP And AIMIM Vow Action

The state BJP asserted that the tie-up was unacceptable and would be scrapped, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warning action against any local leader who had taken such a decision.

Maharashtra AIMIM president Imtiaz Jalil said his party will not get into any alliance with the BJP and, "if our local leaders have discussed any alliance, action will definitely be taken against them."

Changing Power Equations In Akot

In the recently concluded Akot Municipal Council elections, BJP leader Maya Dhule won the post of Municipal President. However, the BJP failed to secure a clear majority in the 35-member council. Elections have so far been held for 33 seats, of which the BJP managed to win only 11 seats, leaving it well short of the majority mark.

Read: In Maharashtra Town, BJP-Congress Unite To Keep Sena Out, Then Suspensions

With numbers stacked against it, the local BJP unit began exploring alternative political combinations to retain control of the municipal council. This led to the formation of a new alliance under the local BJP unit's leadership.

Formation of 'Akot Vikas Manch'

The BJP has now formally constituted the 'Akot Vikas Manch', a multi-party alliance registered with the Akola District Collector. This alliance has dramatically reshaped the local political equations and placed the BJP firmly back in the driver's seat.

The most striking aspect of this alliance was the inclusion of AIMIM, often positioned as a sharp ideological opponent of the BJP at the state and national levels. The party emerged as the third-largest party in Akot with five councillors.

Apart from AIMIM, the Akot Vikas Manch also included factions of the Shiv Sena led by both Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, the Ajit Pawar and the Sharad Pawar factions of the NCP, and Bachchu Kadu's Prahar Janshakti Party. The coming together of such ideologically diverse and often rival parties underscores the extent to which power considerations have overridden political differences.

Akot Municipal Council: Party-wise Strength

Total seats: 35
Results declared: 33 (Elections for 2 seats to be held later)

Election results
BJP: 11
Congress: 6
AIMIM: 5
Prahar Janshakti Party: 3
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction): 2
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi: 2
NCP (Ajit Pawar faction): 2
NCP (Sharad Pawar faction): 1
Shiv Sena (Shinde faction): 1

Total strength of the BJP-led 'Akot Vikas Manch': 25 councillors

Including Municipal President Maya Dhule, the alliance's strength would rise to 26, giving the BJP-led front a clear majority in the council. The Congress (6 councillors) and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (2 councillors) will then sit in the opposition.

BJP Whip Mandatory For All Allies

One of the key conditions of this alliance at the local level was that all councillors from constituent parties must adhere to the BJP's whip. BJP councillor Ravi Thakur was appointed as the Akot Vikas Manch leader, with the alliance expected to vote in unison during the upcoming election of the Deputy Municipal President and nominated members scheduled for January 13.

Electoral Rivals To Power Partners

Adding to the political irony is the fact that in the municipal president's election, BJP's Maya Dhule defeated AIMIM candidate Firozabi Sikandar Rana by a margin of 5,271 votes. AIMIM had emerged as the second-largest party after the BJP in the so-called alliance.

'Divisive Slogans' vs Ground-Level Politics

The BJP's decision to align with AIMIM in Akot stands in sharp contrast to its aggressive political messaging during assembly elections, including slogans such as "Batenge toh katenge." Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, have seized upon this contradiction, questioning the moral and ideological basis of the BJP's alliances at the local level.

Mounting Criticism, Clear Political Signal

After its local leadership formed an alliance with the Congress in Ambernath and now with AIMIM in Akot, the BJP's political strategy is under intense scrutiny. Critics argue that these moves indicate a growing trend where ideological boundaries are blurred in pursuit of power, especially in local bodies.