In a significant political realignment, the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under Deputy CM Ajit Pawar have forged a new alliance at the local level. This move, confirmed on Friday, aims to secure power in the Ambernath Municipal Council in Maharashtra's Thane district and effectively block the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) attempts to gain control.
A Strategic Alliance to Counter BJP's Moves
The formation of this new group comes directly after the BJP inducted 12 suspended Congress councillors into its fold on Thursday. A senior Shiv Sena leader stated that this development would upset the BJP's carefully laid plans to take charge of the council. The Sena, NCP, and one independent councillor have submitted a formal letter to the district authorities, staking their claim to form the ruling body.
This local-level partnership presents a curious dynamic, as both the Shiv Sena and the NCP are allied with the BJP in the state's ruling Mahayuti coalition government. The move underscores the complex and often contradictory nature of political alliances that play out differently at the state and municipal levels.
Background: The Ambernath Vikas Aghadi and Its Unraveling
The power struggle in Ambernath has its roots in the December 20 local body elections. While the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats in the 60-member council, it was sidelined when the BJP (14 seats) joined hands with the Congress (12 seats) and the NCP (4 seats) under the banner of the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi (AVA). With the support of two independents, the AVA's strength reached 32, excluding the council president who is from the BJP.
This alliance, however, proved unstable. The Congress party later suspended its 12 councillors and a block president for aligning with the BJP, its traditional rival. This suspension created an opening for the latest political reconfiguration.
The New Power Equation in Ambernath
With the latest realignment, the new Sena–NCP–independent group now commands the support of 32 members, fundamentally reshaping the council's arithmetic. This number gives them a clear majority to form the administration.
The development highlights the fluid and tactical nature of municipal politics in Maharashtra, where pre-poll alliances can quickly give way to post-poll arrangements driven by immediate strategic gains. The focus now shifts to how the district authorities respond to the claim and whether this new grouping can provide stable governance in the Ambernath Municipal Council.
