Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed strong displeasure over local political tie-ups entered into by BJP units and has directed them to immediately end their alliances with Congress and AIMIM Ambarnath and Akot, respectively, for the state municipal corporation elections next week..
The controversy arose after reports emerged that the BJP had forged alliances with the Congress in Ambarnath and with AIMIM in Akot for local body elections. The developments drew sharp criticism from Shiv Sena MP Eknath Shinde and his son Shrikant, who questioned the BJP’s decision to partner with rival parties at the local level.
Fadnavis blasts local party leadership
Following the backlash, Fadnavis intervened and instructed local BJP units to withdraw from both alliances, signalling the party leadership’s discomfort with such tie-ups and an effort to rein in deviations from its stated political line.
“I am making it very clear that any alliance with the Congress or the AIMIM will not be accepted. If any local leader has taken such a decision on their own, it is wrong in terms of discipline, and action will be taken," Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told a news channel, as reported by PTI. He said instructions had already been issued to undo these alliances.
Fadnavis’s remarks came after the BJP entered into post-poll arrangements with rival parties in municipal councils following last month’s civic elections, drawing sharp reactions from allies as well as the opposition.
Shine Sena questions BJP
Reacting to the issue, Shinde said the media should question the BJP on how such alliances were formed. He alleged that BJP leaders may have entered into these arrangements purely for power and added that senior BJP leadership should take action against those responsible.
"You (media) should ask the BJP how they formed these alliances. Their (BJP) leaders may have formed these alliances for power. Senior BJP leaders should take action on this," Shrikant Shinde said.
A surprise tie-up in Maharashtra municipal corporation polls
In Ambernath, the BJP aligned with the Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party under the banner of the ‘Ambernath Vikas Aghadi’ to form the municipal council leadership, sidelining its ally Shiv Sena. BJP councillor Tejashree Karanjule Patil was elected council president on Wednesday, defeating Shiv Sena’s Manisha Walekar.
In the December 20 elections to the 60-member Ambernath municipal council elections, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats, falling short of a majority by four seats.
The BJP secured 14 seats, the Congress won 12, the NCP four, while two independents were elected. With the support of one independent, the three-party alliance’s strength rose to 32, crossing the majority mark of 30. The election for the vice president’s post is scheduled to be held shortly.
The Shiv Sena strongly criticised the development, describing it as “unethical and opportunistic". Sena MLA Dr Balaji Kinikar called the move a betrayal of “coalition dharma" and said it ran contrary to the BJP’s national slogan of a “Congress-mukt Bharat".
