12 Suspended Congress Councillors Join BJP in Ambernath

New Delhi: In a significant political development in Maharashtra, twelve newly elected councillors from the Ambernath Municipal Council, who were recently suspended by the Congress, have formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. The move has altered the balance of power in the local body and intensified tensions among alliance partners.
The councillors were suspended after aligning with the BJP following the municipal elections held on December 20. Announcing their induction, state BJP leadership said the decision was driven by a shared commitment to development rather than political ambition. It was emphasised that the councillors believed effective governance and delivery of public promises could be achieved through alignment with the BJP led administration.
The political backdrop to the defection is a complex post poll arrangement in Ambernath. After the elections, the BJP and Congress came together under the banner of the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi, along with the Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar. This alliance formed the municipal leadership, sidelining Shiv Sena, which had emerged as the single largest party but fell short of a clear majority.
In the 60 member municipal council, the alliance initially secured 31 seats, with Shiv Sena winning 27 seats. The BJP had won 14 seats, Congress 12, and the NCP 4, while two independents were also elected. With the backing of one independent councillor, the coalition strength rose to 32, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 30. The Congress, facing internal dissent and criticism over the alliance, responded by suspending its 12 councillors and a local block president.
Following their formal entry into the BJP, political equations in the municipality shifted further. The move was described as a sign of growing confidence in the BJP led government at the state level, with leaders asserting that development commitments would be better fulfilled under its leadership.
The development has drawn sharp criticism from Shiv Sena, a partner in the ruling Mahayuti coalition, which termed the episode a violation of coalition norms. Opposition voices have also accused the BJP of political opportunism, claiming the events reflect double standards in alliance politics.
The unfolding situation in Ambernath highlights the fragile nature of local alliances and the growing churn in Maharashtra’s municipal politics, with governance, loyalty, and power equations increasingly intersecting at the grassroots level.