What Led to the Suspension of 12 Congress Councillors in Ambernath?

Congress Takes Action Against Councillors in Ambernath

In a significant move, the Congress party has suspended 12 newly-elected councillors from the Ambernath Municipal Council in Maharashtra, along with the block president, due to their unauthorized alliance with the BJP following the recent civic elections.

Despite the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena being the largest party with 27 members, the BJP, in collaboration with Congress and Ajit Pawar's NCP, managed to secure a majority with 31 seats in Ambernath, located in Thane district.

The decision to align with the BJP sparked controversy, prompting the Congress to take disciplinary measures against its members.

Pradip Patil, the block president of Congress in Ambernath, was also suspended, and the party's Maharashtra unit announced the dissolution of the local block unit in a formal letter.

The councillors, who were elected under the Congress banner, faced suspension for their decision to partner with the BJP without consulting the state leadership.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant stated that several councillors, including independents, had formed the Ambernath Development Front (Ambernath Vikas Aghadi) to challenge the alleged corruption of the Shiv Sena, disregarding party symbols and affiliations.

While there is no official alliance between Congress and BJP, the formation of this front was unauthorized, leading to the issuance of show-cause notices.

The local front was established after a meeting at the BJP office on December 31, where 12 Congress councillors, 14 from the BJP, four from the NCP, and one independent came together, subsequently informing the Thane district collector.

In the elections held on December 20 for the 60-member council, the Shiv Sena secured 27 seats, just four short of a majority, while the BJP won 14, Congress 12, NCP 4, and two independents were also elected.