An unexpected set of post-poll alliances by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in two municipal councils of Maharashtra has sparked a political uproar, forcing the party’s top leadership to step in. The BJP’s decision to join hands with long-time rivals the Congress and the AIMIM at the local level has drawn sharp criticism from allies and opposition parties, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis calling the arrangements unacceptable and against party discipline.
🚨 Mumbai, Maharashtra | CM Devendra Fadnavis expresses strong displeasure and directs local BJP units to end alliances with AIMIM in Akot and Congress in Ambarnath.
— The News Drill (@thenewsdrill) January 7, 2026
Clear message from the top: no local compromises. pic.twitter.com/7rGUE4AtJb
The controversy began after civic polls held on 20th December resulted in split mandates in Ambernath and Akot. In both places, the BJP chose to form local power-sharing fronts that surprised even its own partners in the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
Ambernath verdict leads to surprise alliance
In the Ambernath Municipal Council in Thane district, the 60-member house threw up a fractured verdict. The Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, emerged as the single-largest party with 27 seats, falling just four short of a majority. The BJP won 14 seats, the Congress secured 12, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar got four seats, and two Independents were also elected.
Instead of backing its traditional ally Shiv Sena, the BJP joined hands with the Congress and the NCP to form a local front called the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi. With the support of one Independent councillor, the alliance crossed the majority mark of 30, reaching a strength of 32 members and taking control of the council.
BJP councillor Tejashree Karanjule Patil was elected council president, defeating Shiv Sena candidate Manisha Walekar. While the alliance secured power, it left several parties red-faced at the state level.
The Congress moved quickly to distance itself from the Ambernath development. The party suspended all 12 of its newly elected councillors, along with block president Pradip Patil, stating that the decision to support the BJP was taken without informing or seeking approval from the state leadership.
Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said there was no formal understanding with the BJP and that the local front was formed without permission, calling it a clear violation of party discipline.
The 12 suspended Congress members then joined the BJP, making the council ruled by the BJP alone.
Akot adds to the controversy
Even as the Ambernath issue unfolded, the BJP found itself in fresh trouble in the Akot Municipal Council in Akola district. In the 35-member council, the BJP won 11 seats, while the AIMIM secured two.
To form the council leadership, a local front called the Akot Vikas Manch was put together with support from the AIMIM and several other parties, including factions of the Shiv Sena, the NCP, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), and Bachchu Kadu’s Prahar Janshakti Party.
With this backing, the alliance’s strength rose to 25 councillors. BJP’s Maya Dhule was elected mayor, while Ravi Thakur was appointed group leader. The Congress, which won six seats, and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, with two seats, remained in the opposition.
BJP leaders in Akola claimed that four AIMIM councillors had left their party before joining the local front. However, AIMIM leader and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel rejected any tie-up with the BJP, saying party chief Asaduddin Owaisi had made it clear that AIMIM would not align with the saffron party.
Coalition collapses after Fadnavis’s warning
Reacting to the developments, Chief Minister Fadnavis drew a firm line, stating that the BJP would not accept alliances with either the Congress or the AIMIM under any circumstances. He said such decisions were taken by local leaders without approval and amounted to a breach of discipline. Instructions, he added, had already been issued to dismantle these arrangements, and action would follow.
BJP’s Maharashtra unit issued a show-cause notice to Akot MLA Prakash Bharsakale, accusing him of promoting the alliance with AIMIM without consulting the party leadership. However, the local BJP unit tried to explain that they allied with ‘Akot Nagar Vikas Manch’ formed by AIMIM members, not with the AIMIM. But this was no accepted by BJP.
The coalition in Akola later collapsed after AIMIM decided to withdraw from it. AIMIM state vice-president and Akola district in-charge Mohammad Yusuf Mohammad Shafi Punjani announced that all 5 AIMIM councillors exited the alliance.
Allies and opposition hit back
The Shiv Sena strongly criticised the BJP’s moves. Sena MLA Dr Balaji Kinikar described the alliances as unethical and a betrayal of “coalition dharma,” saying they went against the BJP’s national slogan of a “Congress-mukt Bharat.” Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, son of Eknath Shinde, said it was wrong to join hands with parties against whom elections are fought, adding that power should not be treated as everything.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) also attacked the BJP, with MP Sanjay Raut saying the events in Ambernath and Akot showed the BJP was ready to align with anyone just to grab power. UBT leader Sachin Ahir echoed the criticism, calling it proof of double standards.
