Overview
- Four NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) councillors and an independent withdrew support from the BJP-backed bloc and sided with Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, taking its tally to a working majority of 32 in the 60-member Ambernath council.
- The power shift follows the Congress suspending 12 Ambernath councillors for aligning with the BJP; those councillors formally joined the BJP a day later, as announced by state party chief Ravindra Chavan.
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis publicly rejected unauthorized local alliances with the Congress or AIMIM and warned of disciplinary action, with a show-cause notice issued to BJP MLA Prakash Bharsakhale over an Akot tie-up.
- Shinde’s Sena called the earlier BJP–Congress arrangement a breach of coalition norms, opposition leaders accused the BJP of double standards, and BJP leaders defended the inductions as driven by development goals.
- The realignments are being closely watched ahead of the January 15 municipal corporation polls, including the BMC, with key Ambernath civic posts set for voting next week.