In a significant political development, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has issued a stern directive to the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit, ordering it to immediately break off local electoral alliances formed with the Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Fadnavis declared these tie-ups, forged ahead of municipal council elections, as "not acceptable" to the party's ideology and principles.
Directive Issued After Alliances Surface
The Chief Minister's intervention came on Wednesday after reports emerged of the BJP forming tactical alliances with its traditional rivals in two municipal councils. The alliances were reportedly established to secure power and keep other groups out of contention in the upcoming elections for deputy president and co-opted members scheduled for January 13, with the broader municipal council polls set for January 15.
Fadnavis stated clearly, "Alliance with Congress and AIMIM is not acceptable. It will have to be broken. Accordingly, directives have been issued." He warned that the matter would be investigated and disciplinary action would be taken against any party member found to have violated orders. "The BJP cannot accept an alliance with Congress or MIM. We have made it clear," he emphasized.
The Controversial Alliances in Ambernath and Akot
The two specific instances that triggered the CM's reaction occurred in Ambernath, in Thane district, and Akot, in Akola district of the Vidarbha region.
In Ambernath, located about 60 km from Mumbai, the local BJP unit formed an alliance named the 'Ambernath Vikas Aghadi'. This coalition was explicitly aimed at preventing the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction from gaining power. The alliance composition was:
- 14 BJP members
- 12 Congress members
- 4 members from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
- 1 Independent member
A formal letter announcing this front and declaring Abhijeet Gulabrao Karanjule-Patil as its group leader was submitted to the Thane district collector. While the BJP managed to win the municipal chairman post, the Shinde-led Sena emerged as the single largest party in the council with 27 seats.
In Akot, the local BJP established an 'Akot Vikas Manch' (Akot Development Forum). This alliance was even broader and included the AIMIM, which had won five seats, the highest after the BJP. The front's members included:
- Both factions of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde groups)
- Both factions of the NCP (Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar groups)
- Bachchu Kadu's Prahar Janshakti Party
- The AIMIM
The registration for this alliance was submitted to the Akola district collector on Tuesday. BJP corporator Ravi Thakur was named the group leader. This coalition commands 25 out of 33 members, with municipal council president Maya Dhule as the 26th member. Dhule had previously defeated an AIMIM candidate for the chairperson's post.
Political Repercussions and Reactions
The revelation of these alliances caused immediate political ripples. The Maharashtra Congress chief, Harshavardhan Sapkal, asserted that there was no question of a formal alliance between the BJP and the Congress at the state level, as the two parties are direct opponents. Sources within the Congress indicated that a report had been sought on the local-level understanding, and action would follow if the allegations were verified.
Fadnavis's swift order underscores the BJP's official stance against partnering with the Congress or the AIMIM, despite the pragmatic, power-centric calculations of its local units. The incident highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of political arrangements at the grassroots level in Maharashtra, where ideology can sometimes be subordinated to immediate electoral arithmetic. The party's central leadership's crackdown aims to reassert ideological boundaries ahead of crucial local body elections.
