Congress suspends 12 leaders in Maharashtra for forging alliance with BJP in Ambernath

The Congress on Wednesday suspended its local leadership in Ambernath after party councillors joined hands with the BJP to form the municipal council leadership, a move that embarrassed the opposition party amid wider controversy over cross-party civic alliances in Maharashtra. In a letter to Ambernath Congress block president Pradeep Patil, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) vice-president Ganesh Patil said the party took the action because the local leadership formed an alliance with the BJP without the knowledge or approval of the state leadership. Calling the move unacceptable, the Congress said it carried out the suspension on the instructions of state president Harshwardhan.

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Alliance with BJP surfaced through media, says Congress

In his letter, Ganesh Patil stated that the Congress had contested the civic elections independently and won 12 seats in the Ambernath Municipal Council, but the media revealed the decision to ally with the BJP. He termed the move unacceptable and said that the state Congress president, Harshwardhan Sapkal, directed the action. Patil said that despite winning on the Congress symbol, the local leadership formed an alliance with the BJP without informing or seeking approval from the state leadership, which led the party to initiate disciplinary action and suspend those involved.

This development comes amid growing controversy over post-poll alliances involving the BJP in Maharashtra. In Ambernath, the BJP joined hands with the Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP under the ‘Ambernath Vikas Aghadi’ banner to form the civic body’s leadership, sidelining its ally Shiv Sena despite Shiv Sena emerging as the single largest party. The move also drew a strong response from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who distanced himself from the alliance and warned that the party would take action against BJP leaders involved in the arrangement.

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