After 5 months, Sena proposes alliance with BJP in Ambernath

Ambernath: Shiv Sena has extended an alliance proposal to BJP despite months of political confrontation between the two parties over control of Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC).The move came shortly after the district collector ruled in favour of the Shiv Sena-NCP group in the ongoing power struggle, dealing a setback to BJP. However, even after emerging stronger in the civic power equation, Shiv Sena leaders on Monday said they were willing to set aside political differences in the larger interest of the city's development. At a press conference, Sunil Chaudhary, former municipal council president, and Abdul Sheikh, its former vice-president, along with other Shiv Sena corporators, formally proposed an alliance with BJP. Gulab Karanjule Patil, a BJP leader, said his party will consider the proposal. "A meeting will be held soon over the proposal and an appropriate decision will be taken after discussions."Both Sena and BJP were engaged in a power struggle since the civic polls five months ago, driven by attempts to secure majority support amid political realignments involving NCP factions and Congress. During this period, administrative functioning and resolution of civic issues allegedly suffered. —Pradeep Gupta