The Congress on Wednesday suspended 12 of its newly elected councillors along with Ambernath block president Pradeep Patil after they joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the leadership of the Ambernath Municipal Council. The disciplinary action was announced through a letter issued by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) vice-president Ganesh Patil, citing serious violation of party discipline and unauthorised alliance-building with the BJP.
Congress cites breach of party discipline
In his letter to Pradeep Patil, Ganesh Patil said the Congress had contested the municipal elections independently and won 12 seats on its own symbol, but the subsequent alliance with the BJP was forged without informing or seeking approval from the state leadership.
“We have fought elections on the Congress symbol and we won 12 seats. However, without informing the state leadership or the state office, you have entered into an alliance with the BJP. This has come to our knowledge through media sources. This is not a good thing,” the letter stated.
The suspension was ordered on the instructions of Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal.
Taking a tough stand, the MPCC not only suspended the block president but also dissolved the entire Block Congress Executive Committee in Ambernath.
“Considering this matter, on the orders of the Hon’ble Provincial President Shri Harshwardhan Sapkal, you are being suspended from the Congress Party. Also, your Block Congress Executive Committee is being dissolved. Similarly, all the corporators who violated party discipline along with you are also being suspended,” the letter said.
How the alliance took shape
The controversy stems from a post-poll meeting held at a local BJP office on December 31, where 12 Congress councillors, 14 BJP councillors, four from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and one independent came together to form a local front. A formal letter informing about the alliance was later submitted to the Thane district collector.
The coalition, formed under the banner of ‘Ambernath Vikas Aghadi’, went on to secure control of the civic body. In the 60-member Ambernath Municipal Council, the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats. The BJP won 14 seats, the Congress 12, the NCP four, while two seats went to independents.
Fadnavis rejects BJP-Congress tie-ups
The alliance also drew sharp criticism from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who rejected any form of collaboration between the BJP and the Congress.
“Alliance with Congress in any form is wrong. I will be asking questions to my workers,” Fadnavis said, warning of action against BJP leaders involved in such arrangements. The Ambernath episode is part of a larger row over post-election alliances involving the BJP and rival parties in municipal councils, including a similar situation in Akot in Akola district.
