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

The political developments in the Ambernath Municipal Council of Thane district have triggered a major churn not only in the local politics but also across Maharashtra. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has for years aggressively promoted the slogan of "Congress-Free India" at the national level, chose a completely different route in Ambernath by forming an alliance with the Congress to secure power.

This unexpected political move was widely seen as a calculated strategy to keep the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) out of the ruling setup. But the Maharashtra Congress refused such an alliance and suspended Ambernath bloc chief Pradeep Patil and all its elected corporators for what it described as a "violation of party discipline."

An Unexpected BJP-Congress Alliance

In the surprising realignment, the BJP, the Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) had come together to form an alliance named the "Ambernath Vikas Aghadi." The alliance comprised of 14 BJP councillors, 12 Congress councillors, four from the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and one independent corporator. With the inclusion of the municipal president's post, the alliance's strength has risen to 32, giving the BJP a comfortable majority in the municipal council.

Backed by this alliance, BJP leader Tejashree Karanjule was elected President (Mayor) of the Ambernath Municipal Council. This outcome is particularly significant because, after the election results, the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) had emerged as the single largest party. Despite that numerical advantage, the Shinde faction was sidelined from power through post-poll political manoeuvering.

Maharashtra Congress Action

The Maharashtra Congress president ordered to dissolve the Ambernath bloc Congress committee, dubbing the alliance "completely wrong action" by the local leadership.

In a letter to Pradeep Patil, senior vice president of State Congress, Ganesh Patil said, "This is a completely wrong action and a violation of party discipline. Considering this matter, by order of the Hon'ble State President, Harshvardhan Sapkal, you are hereby suspended from the Congress party. Furthermore, your Block Congress Executive Committee is being dissolved. Similarly, all the corporators who have violated party discipline along with you are also being suspended from the party."

Fadnavis Says "Unacceptable"

Senior BJP leader and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the tie-up was unacceptable and would be scrapped. "If any local leader has taken such a decision on their own, it is wrong in terms of discipline and action will be taken," Fadnavis said in an interview with a TV channel. If such an alliance has been formed, an order has been issued to scrap it, he added.

'Congress-Free India' Slogan Under Scrutiny

The BJP's decision to align with the Congress drew sharp criticism from rival parties, especially the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde. Sena leaders have termed the alliance ideological hypocrisy and described it as an "improper and unethical coalition." Shinde faction MLA Balaji Kinikar alleged that the BJP, which publicly speaks of eliminating the Congress from Indian politics, has now embraced the same party purely for the sake of power.

He argued that Ambernath should have witnessed a traditional BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and warned that this decision sends a confusing and damaging message within the broader Mahayuti. According to him, such political compromises could have long-term repercussions in upcoming municipal corporation and civic body elections across the state.

Local BJP's Counter

The local BJP leadership had earlier defended its decision by linking it to development and clean governance. Local BJP leader Gulabrao Karanjule Patil stated that the alliance was formed in the larger interest of making Ambernath a fear-free and corruption-free city. He alleged that during the tenure of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), serious corruption cases had emerged and that two former municipal presidents had even landed in jail.

Karanjule further claimed that the BJP had made multiple attempts to engage the Shinde faction in discussions for a broader alliance in Ambernath, but their leaders failed to respond. Under these circumstances, he said, the BJP was left with no alternative but to join hands with the Congress and the NCP to ensure stable governance.

Rising Tensions Within Mahayuti

The Ambernath episode has clearly exposed growing strains within the Mahayuti alliance. While the BJP-Congress partnership has settled the power equation in the municipal council, it has simultaneously deepened mistrust between the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). Leaders from the Shinde camp argue that by breaking a long-standing alliance tradition, the BJP has sacrificed ideological consistency for political convenience.

The BJP-Congress alliance in Ambernath carries implications far beyond a single municipal council. It raises critical questions about the future of alliance politics in Maharashtra: Will similar unexpected coalitions emerge in upcoming municipal corporation and civic elections? Are ideological slogans losing relevance in the face of power arithmetic and post-poll strategies?

For now, it is evident that the developments in Ambernath have laid the foundation for new political equations and intensified political confrontations in the state. Whether this alliance is seen as unethical or unavoidable will ultimately be decided by public perception and the political outcomes that unfold in the days ahead.