Thane, Maharashtra: In a dramatic political development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has joined hands with the Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to seize control of the Ambernath Municipal Council, pushing the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena out of power. The move has triggered intense debate and speculation in Maharashtra’s political circles.
Ambernath, located in Thane district—considered the home turf of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde—has witnessed an unusual realignment of political forces at the local level. Following last month’s municipal elections, the BJP, Congress and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) came together to form the “Ambernath Vikas Aghadi”, securing a majority in the 60-member civic body.
Election Results and Power Shift
In the elections, the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats, while the BJP won 14 seats and the Congress secured 12 seats. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP won four seats, and two independents were also elected. Despite being the largest party, the Shiv Sena failed to retain power.
The turning point came during the election for the municipal council president, where Shiv Sena candidate Manisha Walekar was defeated by BJP’s Tejashri Karanjule Patil, indicating early signs of shifting alliances.
How the BJP–Congress Alliance Took Shape
Although the BJP managed to secure the president’s post, it lacked the numbers to run the council independently. To overcome this shortfall, the party initiated talks with opposition councillors at the local level. These negotiations culminated on Tuesday with the formation of the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi.
The new alliance includes 14 BJP councillors, 12 Congress councillors, four NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) councillors and one independent, taking the coalition’s strength to 32 members, comfortably crossing the majority mark.
Reactions and Political Fallout
BJP councillor Abhijit Karanjule Patil, who has been appointed group leader of the alliance, said the BJP had contested the elections against what it described as years of corruption and intimidation during Shiv Sena’s rule in the civic body. “Our aim is to free the municipal administration from fear and corruption and ensure development in Ambernath. Keeping this objective in mind, this alliance was formed,” he said.
The Shiv Sena has strongly criticised the alliance, calling it “opportunistic” and “unethical.” Shiv Sena MLA from Ambernath Balaji Kinikar accused the BJP of hypocrisy, saying that while it campaigns nationally for a “Congress-free India,” it has strengthened the Congress at the municipal level for the sake of power.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders have offered mixed reactions. While the party’s state leadership claimed it had not received any formal proposal, local leaders argued that the options were limited—either align with the BJP or the Shinde faction, or remain in opposition.
Significance
The unexpected BJP–Congress partnership in Ambernath highlights the growing contrast between ideological positions at the state and national levels and the pragmatism often seen in local politics. The development has added a new layer of complexity to Maharashtra’s already fluid political landscape, especially in a district closely associated with the state’s deputy chief minister.