<p>Mumbai: Amid jet-speed political developments in the Ambernath suburb of Mumbai, 12 newly-elected Congress party’s municipal councillors, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/congress-to-seek-disqualification-of-12-ambernath-councillors-who-joined-bjp-3855344">who were suspended for allying with BJP</a>, joined the saffron party on Thursday. </p><p>Thus the Congress has been completely wiped out from the Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC) with the 100 per cent defection to the BJP - completely altering the political balance in the civic body. </p><p>On the other hand, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, which has been left red faced, is contemplating legal action against the switchovers. </p>.Maharashtra civic polls: Congress accuses BJP of 'double standards' over alliance in Ambernath Municipal Council.<p>Ambernath, located in the Thane district, around 70 kms away from downtown Mumbai, is an important suburb and the BJP has managed to end the 35 year rule of the Shiv Sena. </p><p>This has come as a major jolt to deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and his son and Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, who have a big say in Thane district politics. </p><p>At a function held in Navi Mumbai, the 12 municipal councillors, who were suspended by the Congress, joined the BJP in presence of state BJP president Ravindra Chavan, state forest minister Ganesh Naik. </p><p>The development takes place hours after Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis ruled out any BJP alliance with Congress in Ambarnath and Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM in Akot. </p><p>The municipal councillors who left Congress to join BJP are: Pradeep Nana Patil, Darshana Umesh Patil, Archana Charan Patil, Harshada Pankaj Patil, Tejaswini Milind Patil, Vipul Pradeep Patil, Manish Mhatre, Dhanalakshmi Jayshankari, Sanjavani Rahul Devde, Dinesh Gaikwad, Kiran Badrinath Rathod and Kabir Naresh Gaikwad.</p><p>In the 20 December 2025 municipal council and town panchayat polls, the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats in 59-member AMC , followed by the BJP with 14, Congress with 12 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP with four and two independents. </p><p>BJP’s Tejashree Karanjule was elected as the president through a direct election defeating Manisha Walekar of the Shiv Sena. </p>.Maharashtra civic polls: Fadnavis pledges to ease traffic, fast-track Metro projects in Thane, MMR.<p>Over the last few days, the BJP finalised the formation of the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi which included BJP, Congress, NCP and Independents and Abhijit Karanjule was elected the group leader. </p><p>This, however, rattled the Congress state president Harshavardhan Sakpal after which MPCC vice president Ganesh Patil, suspended Ambernath Block Congress President Pradip Patil and dissolved the entire block executive committee, terming the alliance a “completely wrong action” taken without authorisation from the state leadership.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Congress high-command is contemplating legal actions against the councillors who have defected. </p><p>“The councillors had violated constitutional provisions by defecting after being elected on the Congress symbol. This act is completely illegal. Forming an independent group or later joining another political party after being elected on a party symbol is not only unethical but also unconstitutional,” party spokesperson Sachin Sawant said. "The Congress party will initiate legal action to get the membership of these councillors cancelled. Legal notices will be issued to all of them shortly," Sawant said. </p><p>Induction of the suspended Congress councillors in BJP in presence of Naik and Kadam also comes as a strong message to Shinde. </p>
<p>Mumbai: Amid jet-speed political developments in the Ambernath suburb of Mumbai, 12 newly-elected Congress party’s municipal councillors, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/congress-to-seek-disqualification-of-12-ambernath-councillors-who-joined-bjp-3855344">who were suspended for allying with BJP</a>, joined the saffron party on Thursday. </p><p>Thus the Congress has been completely wiped out from the Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC) with the 100 per cent defection to the BJP - completely altering the political balance in the civic body. </p><p>On the other hand, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, which has been left red faced, is contemplating legal action against the switchovers. </p>.Maharashtra civic polls: Congress accuses BJP of 'double standards' over alliance in Ambernath Municipal Council.<p>Ambernath, located in the Thane district, around 70 kms away from downtown Mumbai, is an important suburb and the BJP has managed to end the 35 year rule of the Shiv Sena. </p><p>This has come as a major jolt to deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and his son and Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, who have a big say in Thane district politics. </p><p>At a function held in Navi Mumbai, the 12 municipal councillors, who were suspended by the Congress, joined the BJP in presence of state BJP president Ravindra Chavan, state forest minister Ganesh Naik. </p><p>The development takes place hours after Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis ruled out any BJP alliance with Congress in Ambarnath and Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM in Akot. </p><p>The municipal councillors who left Congress to join BJP are: Pradeep Nana Patil, Darshana Umesh Patil, Archana Charan Patil, Harshada Pankaj Patil, Tejaswini Milind Patil, Vipul Pradeep Patil, Manish Mhatre, Dhanalakshmi Jayshankari, Sanjavani Rahul Devde, Dinesh Gaikwad, Kiran Badrinath Rathod and Kabir Naresh Gaikwad.</p><p>In the 20 December 2025 municipal council and town panchayat polls, the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats in 59-member AMC , followed by the BJP with 14, Congress with 12 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP with four and two independents. </p><p>BJP’s Tejashree Karanjule was elected as the president through a direct election defeating Manisha Walekar of the Shiv Sena. </p>.Maharashtra civic polls: Fadnavis pledges to ease traffic, fast-track Metro projects in Thane, MMR.<p>Over the last few days, the BJP finalised the formation of the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi which included BJP, Congress, NCP and Independents and Abhijit Karanjule was elected the group leader. </p><p>This, however, rattled the Congress state president Harshavardhan Sakpal after which MPCC vice president Ganesh Patil, suspended Ambernath Block Congress President Pradip Patil and dissolved the entire block executive committee, terming the alliance a “completely wrong action” taken without authorisation from the state leadership.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Congress high-command is contemplating legal actions against the councillors who have defected. </p><p>“The councillors had violated constitutional provisions by defecting after being elected on the Congress symbol. This act is completely illegal. Forming an independent group or later joining another political party after being elected on a party symbol is not only unethical but also unconstitutional,” party spokesperson Sachin Sawant said. "The Congress party will initiate legal action to get the membership of these councillors cancelled. Legal notices will be issued to all of them shortly," Sawant said. </p><p>Induction of the suspended Congress councillors in BJP in presence of Naik and Kadam also comes as a strong message to Shinde. </p>
