Heads roll in Ambernath Congress a day after alliance with BJP; Cong suspends councillors for tie-up with BJP

MUMBAI: A day after Congress and BJP councillors in Ambernath unveiled an alliance for the local municipal council, Congress state brass condemned the decision and suspended its partymen while CM Devendra Fadnavis said he would recommend action against the local office-bearer.

BJP had forged a post-poll understanding with Congress and Ajit Pawar's NCP, securing a majority of 31 seats, even though Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena was the single largest party with 27 members. The formation was named Ambernath Vikas Aghadi.




Congress has suspended its local block chief, Pradeep Patil, along with all 12 elected councillors and issued show-cause notices. In a letter to Patil, the party informed him its block unit had been dissolved.

State party president Harshwardhan Sapkal said, "We are against any alliance with BJP. We will decide on further action." AICC secretary Sachin Sawant blamed BJP for wooing its councillors into an opportunistic alliance. "BJP is hungry for power. It has also now tied up with its B-team, AIMIM, in another place (Akot) to get the council post." BJP has won the most number of president posts in municipal councils in the state. However, since resolutions or proposals would need the majority's approval in the General Body, councillors have been forging alliances across the political divide in order to control the civic body's functioning. In Akot, BJP members formed Akot Vikas Manch with AIMIM, besides support from Shiv Sena UBT, Shiv Sena, NCP, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and Bachchu Kadu's Prahar Janshakti Party. The alliance's strength stood at 25.

"I am making it very clear that any alliance with Congress or 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," Fadnavis said, adding that instructions had been issued to scrap such alliances.

Patil said he had informed party seniors about the tie-up forged after the elections. He claimed the leadership had suspended the councillors without hearing their side. Patil said he plans to meet the BJP state chief and the CM and will make efforts to join BJP.

Patil said, "We increased the Congress tally from 8 to 12 corporators in a traditional Shiv Sena-BJP stronghold, but no MLA, MP, or state-level leader has even made a courtesy call since our victory." He also alleged that Sapkal demanded Rs 1 crore from him in exchange for the post of block president, but he had refused to comply, after which Congress leader Mukul Wasnik facilitated his appointment. Patil alleged that his refusal to pay was the real reason behind the suspension.

Another senior Congress leader said the suspended councillors would be considered as expelled as they are in the process of joining BJP for "money and power."
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