The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has announced plans to take legal action to disqualify 12 corporators from the Ambernath Municipal Council who switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These corporators, originally elected on the Congress symbol in recent municipal polls, officially joined the BJP, prompting the Congress to label the move as illegal and unconstitutional. The party alleges that this defection violates the Anti-Defection Law and constitutional provisions.
The Congress had suspended these 12 corporators on the previous day after discovering their collaboration with the BJP in the Ambernath Municipal Council and their intention to change political sides. Senior Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant emphasized that forming a separate group or joining another party after being elected on a specific party’s ticket goes against constitutional norms. Sawant stated that legal notices would be sent to all twelve individuals soon.
According to the Congress leadership, as these corporators secured their electoral mandate under the Congress banner, they automatically lost their right to remain as elected representatives upon switching parties. The party intends to approach judicial or administrative authorities in the near future to formally remove them from the municipal council. Earlier, all 12 corporators formally joined the BJP in the presence of state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan and Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, leading to a significant shift in the local power dynamics.
The crisis traces back to the municipal elections held on December 20 last year, which resulted in a fragmented mandate. Local units of the BJP, Congress, and the NCP formed the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi (AVA) to keep the Shiv Sena out of power, despite it being the largest force. State Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal criticized the alliance as contrary to party ideology. BJP state president Ravindra Chavan stated that the corporators joined the BJP for development purposes, not power.
Former Congress block president Pradip Patil, one of the defectors, claimed they were suspended without a fair hearing and joined the BJP to combat corruption in Ambernath. This move has caused discontent within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, with Shiv Sena leaders denouncing it as a breach of coalition ethics. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed dissatisfaction with any understanding with the Congress, signaling a shift in the BJP’s local strategy.
