Shock in Ambernath: BJP and Congress Join Hands to Oust Shiv Sena in Civic Body

Ambernath: In a striking political turn, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress have teamed up in Ambernath Municipal Council to keep the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) out of power. This rare alliance has given the BJP-led group the majority and control of the civic body. 

How did the new alliance take shape?

Ambernath, a key municipality in Thane district, saw a surprising shift in post-election equations. Although the Shiv Sena (Shinde group) emerged as the single-largest party with 27 seats in the 60-member council, it fell short of a clear majority.

Instead of joining hands with Shiv Sena, the BJP joined forces with the Congress and the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Together, they crossed the majority mark. The new group, dubbed the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi, now holds the reins of the civic body.

Why is this surprising?

Traditionally, BJP and Congress are political rivals at the national and state levels. Their coming together in Ambernath has stunned party workers and observers alike. Most expected the BJP to support its usual ally, the Shiv Sena (Shinde group), in local bodies after the recent municipal polls. Instead, the BJP chose an unconventional route by backing Congress and NCP.

How many seats did each party win?

In the Ambernath Municipal Council election, there are 59 seats up for grabs, a small but important body that governs local services and development. 

• Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) won 27 seats, making it the single largest party in the council. 
• The BJP finished with 14 seats.
• The Congress secured 12 seats. 
• The NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) won 4 seats.
• Two independents were also elected.

Together, the BJP (14), Congress (12) and NCP (4) pooled 32 seats, above the majority mark of 30 in the 59-member council. This gave the BJP-Congress-NCP grouping the numbers needed to take control of the civic body. 

Shiv Sena’s 27 seats, while the highest for a single party, were not enough to form the council’s governing majority on their own

What does this mean for Shiv Sena?

Shiv Sena’s Shinde faction, despite winning the most seats, missed out on power. Party leaders have expressed strong displeasure with the BJP’s decision. Some have warned that voters may react to this “betrayal” in future elections.