A politically explosive and ideologically contradictory alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Akola district's Akot town spectacularly collapsed on Wednesday, mere hours after it was formed. The swift unraveling was triggered by a public warning from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, leading to a rapid chain of withdrawals and internal disciplinary action within the BJP.
The Short-Lived 'Akot Nagar Vikas Manch'
The unlikely coalition emerged from political necessity after the BJP, despite emerging as the single largest party, failed to secure a clear majority in the 35-member Akot municipal council. The party had won 11 seats and successfully elected its candidate, Maya Dhule, as the council president. However, it lacked the numbers to independently form the ruling body.
To bridge this deficit, local leaders engineered a broad front named the 'Akot Nagar Vikas Manch'. This grouping claimed the support of 25 councillors, drawing members from the BJP, AIMIM, both factions of the Shiv Sena and the NCP, as well as the Bachchu Kadu-led Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP). A formal proposal seeking recognition for this front was submitted to the district collector.
Fadnavis's Stern Rebuke and Immediate Fallout
The arrangement, which drew statewide attention due to the stark ideological clash between the BJP and AIMIM, quickly came under fire. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking to the media on Wednesday morning, sharply criticized the BJP functionaries involved. He reiterated the party's official stance of not aligning with either the Congress or the AIMIM.
Fadnavis warned of strict action against those who violated party ideology and discipline. His public admonishment set off immediate damage control measures. Within hours, the BJP's Maharashtra unit issued a show-cause notice to Akot MLA Prakash Bharsakale. The notice, dated January 7 and signed by state president Ravindra Chavan, accused Bharsakale of promoting the alliance without consulting the party leadership, thereby "undermining the party's ideology and policies" and "tarnished the party's image." A copy was also sent to Akot BJP mandal president Harish Tawari.
Alliance Crumbles and Political Instability Looms
As the BJP scrambled to distance itself, party spokespersons attempted to reframe the alliance. Leaders like MLA Randhir Savarkar and MP Anup Dhotre argued that the party had allied with the 'Manch', not directly with AIMIM, suggesting some councillors extended support independently. However, this clarification proved ineffective.
The pressure proved too great, and AIMIM formally withdrew its support. In a letter to the district collector, AIMIM state vice-president Mohammad Yusuf Mohammad Shafi Punjani announced that all five of its councillors were exiting the alliance. The withdrawal of AIMIM's bloc has thrown the ruling arrangement in Akot into uncertainty, highlighting the fragile nature of post-poll maneuvering in closely contested civic bodies.
The council's composition underscores the volatility: BJP (11), Congress (6), NCP (Ajit Pawar - 2), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar - 1), Shiv Sena (1), Shiv Sena (UBT - 2), Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (5), and AIMIM (5). With AIMIM out and the BJP taking internal disciplinary steps, the stability of the council's leadership now hangs in the balance.
