Ambernath: The ongoing dispute over numerical strength between the Shiv Sena and the BJP-led Ambernath Vikas Aghadi in the Ambernath Municipal Council has reached the Bombay High Court, resulting in the postponement of a key meeting for the formation of the standing committee and various subject committees.
Following the court’s intervention, the district collector deferred the special meeting scheduled for Monday, January 19, from 11 am to 5 pm. The order has extended the political uncertainty within the municipal body, leaving the formation of crucial committees in limbo.
The Ambernath Municipal Council has 59 elected members. Shiv Sena holds 27 seats, the BJP 14, Congress 12, the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) four, and there are two Independents. Although the BJP does not have a clear majority, its candidate, Tejashree Karanjule-Patil, won the direct election for council president, defeating the Shiv Sena nominee and securing a key administrative post for the party.
A minimum of 30 councillors is required to form the ruling body. With no party crossing this mark and alliance talks between Shiv Sena and the BJP failing, the BJP formed the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi with the support of Congress, the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and one Independent. The alliance submitted a letter of support signed by 31 members to the Thane district collector, staking its claim to power.
The political equations shifted, however, when all four NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) councillors withdrew their support from the alliance and pledged allegiance to the Shiv Sena. This raised the Shiv Sena’s strength to 32 members, including one Independent, prompting the party to submit its own letter of majority support to the collector.
Abhijit Karanjule, group leader of the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi, subsequently filed a petition challenging the defection of the four NCP councillors.
Taking note of the matter, the Bombay High Court directed that the meeting scheduled for 11 am on January 19 to form the subject committees be deferred until 5 pm the same day.
