This move has captured attention throughout Maharashtra, considering the significant ideological rift between the two parties on the national stage.
The BJP teamed up with councillors from the Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to form the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi, which subsequently gained control of the 60-member civic body in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), according to News18.
This coalition emerged despite the BJP and Shiv Sena being partners in the state and at the Central level.
Municipal elections took place last month, during which the Shiv Sena and the BJP ran independently. The Shiv Sena became the single-largest party with 27 seats, while the BJP secured 14 seats. The Congress obtained 12 seats, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP won four, and two seats were taken by independents, as reported by News18.
Shiv Sena loses key position despite leading
Despite holding the majority, the Shiv Sena could not secure the position of municipal council president. Its candidate, Manisha Walekar, was defeated by BJP candidate Tejashree Karanjule Patil, marking a significant setback for the Shinde faction, according to News18.
The results and the subsequent formation of the alliance prompted strong reactions within the Shiv Sena camp.
Leaders from the Shinde group lashed out at the BJP, labeling it an “indecent alliance” and accusing it of political treachery.
Shinde faction cries “stab in the back”
MLA Dr. Balaji from the Shinde faction condemned the BJP, which promotes a “Congress-free India”, for collaborating with the Congress and characterized the alliance as a “stab in the back”, as noted by News18.
In response to the accusations, BJP vice-president Gulabrao Karanjule Patil dismissed the criticisms, explaining that joining forces with the Shinde group, alleged to be involved in corruption for 25 years, would have been inappropriate, as per News18.
He also asserted that he had made several attempts to negotiate a broader alliance with the Shinde group for Ambernath, but received no feedback from their leadership.
As discussions regarding power-sharing within the BJP-Congress-led coalition continue, this development has strained the broader political alliances in Maharashtra.
