Ambernath Municipal Council Sees Defections as 12 Congress Members Move to BJP
Suspended councillors bolt to saffron camp in major shift.
Twelve newly elected councillors from the Congress in Maharashtra's Ambernath Municipal Council, who were suspended by their party for aligning with the BJP post-election, have formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, significantly reshaping the political landscape of the local body.
The announcement was made late on Wednesday night by Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan at the party office in Ambernath, who described the move as a reflection of the councillors' commitment to development rather than any quest for power. He emphasized that the representatives had promised progress to voters and now recognize the BJP-led government's dynamic approach as the most effective means to deliver justice and development to the people.
Following the December 20 local body elections in Thane district's Ambernath, an unusual pre-poll alliance called Ambernath Vikas Aghadi (AVA) was formed between the BJP, Congress, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP to secure control of the 60-member council, sidelining the Shiv Sena which emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats. The coalition, bolstered by one independent, commanded 32 seats, comfortably crossing the majority threshold of 30.
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The Congress high command responded to the councillors' post-election alignment with the BJP by suspending all 12 members along with the block president, viewing the action as a breach of party discipline. The defections have now strengthened the BJP's position within the municipality, while drawing sharp criticism from Mahayuti ally Shiv Sena, which condemned the move as a violation of coalition ethics and an attempt to undermine their influence in the civic body.
Meanwhile, BJP leadership has taken a firm stance against similar ideological compromises elsewhere, issuing a show-cause notice to the Akot MLA over an alleged tie-up with AIMIM in the Akot Municipal Council. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed strong disapproval of such arrangements, reiterating that the party will not tolerate actions contrary to its core principles, while opposition leaders have accused the BJP of displaying double standards in its pursuit of power at the local level.
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