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'We took action, why didn't you': Congress slams BJP on Maharashtra local leaders' 'alliance ' move
Congress suspended its 12 councillors in Ambernath for allying with BJP, accusing the latter of hypocrisy for not acting against its own leaders.
A day after BJP and Congress local leaders' announcement of alliance in the Ambernath Municipal Council of Maharashtra hit headlines, the latter has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of not taking action against those who announced the tie-up without higher-ups' nod.
Congress on Wednesday suspended all of its 12 Ambernath Muncipal Council councillors for joining hands with the BJP, something that is most people thought would never happen. Follow Maharashtra civic polls live updates
The 12 suspended councillors joined the BJP late Wednesday night, as per Maharashtra party president Ravindra Chavan, reported PTI news agency.
BJP-Congress ‘alliance’
The counting for the election to 60-member Ambernath civic council was held on December 20. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 27 seats, falling just four short of a majority. The BJP secured 14 seats, Congress 12, NCP 4, while two independents were also elected. The BJP forged a post-poll understanding with the Congress and the NCP, securing a majority of 31 seats, even though the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 councillors.
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The alliance for Ambernath civic body is believed to have been taken by local BJP and Congress leaders, driven by the aims of weakening Shiv Sena in Ambernath and hold the power to run council as per their plans with the majority with their side. However, there is no approval or affirmation of this alliance from Congress leadership. BJP councillor Abhijit Karanjule Patil, appointed the group leader, told the media that the alliance was formed to free Ambernath from “corruption and intimidation”, reported PTI news agency on Wednesday.
'No action by BJP'
The Congress on Thursday said it had suspended its councillors for the tie-up with the BJP in the Ambernath Municipal Council, but the latter failed to take action against its own leaders who initiated the alliance, accusing the party of “double standards”.
State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the BJP, which repeatedly speaks of a "Congress-free India", exposed its "hypocrisy and double standards" by not acting against its councillors even after it was revealed that the offer to form the AVA had come from the saffron outfit itself, PTI reported.
On a similar alliance of BJP and another arch rival Asaduddin Owaisi-led (AIMIM) in the Akot Municipal Council in Akola district, Sawant invoked the pre-Independence period when the Hindu Mahasabha had shared power with the Muslim League in several regions.
"This once again proves that the agendas of extremist forces are complementary to each other," he was quoted as saying.
The Congress had long alleged that the BJP and AIMIM worked together behind the scenes, and their political proximity has now come into the open, Sawant said.
"The people have now understood how polarisation is deliberately engineered," he said, claiming the BJP was willing to compromise on principles, morality and ideology for the sake of power.
State BJP president Ravindra Chavan has reportedly issued a show-cause notice to their Akot MLA Prakash Bharsakhale over the alliance with AIMIM in the Akot Municipal Council.
