BJP inducts 12 Congress councillors, rules out AIMIM entries

Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan said the Congress councillors had switched sides in the interest of development

Mumbai: A day after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis termed any alliance with the Congress “unacceptable” and a breach of party discipline, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday inducted 12 Congress councillors who had been suspended after the two parties’ local units forged a post-poll tie-up in the Ambernath municipal council.

Nagpur: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra speaks during an event titled ‘Tari Poha with Devabhau’, ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election, in Nagpur, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2025. (PTI Photo) (PTI01_08_2026_000390B) (PTI)

In contrast, the BJP ruled out inducting councillors from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), who were reportedly willing to join the party after a similar post-poll alliance in Akot was disbanded.

The 12 suspended Congress councillors, who had contested the elections against the BJP, joined the saffron party at a function in Navi Mumbai on Thursday. Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan, who was present at the event, said the councillors had switched sides in the interest of development.

Responding to questions on whether their induction violated the voters’ mandate, Chavan said the councillors had themselves expressed a desire to join the BJP. “After we spoke to these councillors, they willingly said that they want to join BJP for the development of their constituencies. Since there would not have been any technical problem in them joining the BJP, they have decided to come with us,” he said.

“We have not forged any front, but the suspended Congress councillors have joined our party by quitting theirs,” confirmed Kisan Kathore, the BJP’s Ambernath MLA.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, meanwhile, criticised the BJP for what he described as an “unethical” move.

“The 12 councillors from Ambernath had contested the elections against the ruling party and had been elected as Congress councillors. Despite this, the BJP allowed a local front in Ambernath and it was approved by the chief minister. He did not take any action against the leaders responsible for the Ambernath front. This is an unethical and shameless act. he said. The party which has given the slogan of “Congress-mukt Bharat” (Congress-free India) has itself has become a “Congress-yukt” (Congress-infused) party,” he said.