Mumbai, 7 Jan 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has entered into post-poll alliances with rivals Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in some municipal councils in Maharashtra, even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday rejected the tie-ups and warned of action against party leaders involved.

Following civic elections held last month, the BJP joined hands with the Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to form the Ambernath Municipal Council leadership under the banner of ‘Ambernath Vikas Aghadi’, sidelining its ally Shiv Sena.

A similar arrangement was forged in the Akot Municipal Council in Akola district, where the BJP allied with the AIMIM and several other parties to form the local governing body.

However, Fadnavis made it clear that such alliances were not approved by the party’s senior leadership and violated organisational discipline.

“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,” Fadnavis told a news channel, adding that instructions had already been issued to undo such alliances.

The developments have drawn criticism from allies and the Opposition. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, “What happened in Akot and Ambernath shows frivolous behaviour of the BJP. The party can ally with anyone to grab power.”

Notably, the BJP, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena are partners in the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the state.

In Ambernath, despite the Shiv Sena emerging as the single largest party with 27 councillors, the BJP joined hands with the Congress and the NCP to secure a post-poll majority of 31 seats. The three parties claimed the alliance was aimed at “saving the town” and ensuring stable administration, a contention rejected by the Shiv Sena.

Sena MLA Dr Balaji Kinikar described the move as a betrayal of “coalition dharma” and said it ran contrary to the BJP’s national slogan of a “Congress-mukt Bharat”.

BJP councillor Tejashree Karanjule Patil was elected president of the Ambernath Municipal Council on Wednesday, defeating Shiv Sena’s Manisha Walekar.

In the December 20 polls to the 60-member council, the Shiv Sena won 27 seats, the BJP 14, the Congress 12 and the NCP four, while two independents were elected. With the support of one independent, the three-party alliance crossed the majority mark of 30.

BJP corporator Abhijit Karanjule Patil said the alliance was formed to free Ambernath from “corruption and intimidation”.

In Akot, the BJP formed the ‘Akot Vikas Manch’ with the AIMIM, also receiving support from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, the NCP factions and the Prahar Janshakti Party.

The BJP won 11 seats in the 35-member council, while the AIMIM secured five. With support from other parties, the alliance’s strength rose to 25. BJP’s Maya Dhule was elected mayor, defeating AIMIM’s Firozabi Sikandar Rana. The alliance was formally registered with the district administration on Wednesday.