Voicing his sharp disapproval on the BJP‘s alliances with the Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in two municipal councils in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the electoral pacts were “not acceptable” and that they need “to be broken”. Fadnavis was reacting to the tie-ups in Ambernath and Akot, ahead of the municipal council elections on January 15.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said such arrangements were not approved by the party leadership and violated discipline, while BJP’s state ally Shiv Sena called it a betrayal of “coalition dharma”.

The grand old party has suspended 12 newly-elected councillors in one of these local bodies.

“Alliance with Congress and AIMIM is not acceptable. It will have to be broken. Accordingly, directives have been issued. The matter will be looked into, and disciplinary action will be taken if anybody has violated orders. The BJP cannot accept an alliance with Congress or MIM. We have made it clear,” Fadnavis said, according to The Indian Express.

Following the civic polls last month, the ruling BJP forged a post-poll understanding with arch-rival Congress, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under the banner of ‘Ambernath Vikas Aghadi’, securing a majority of 31 seats, even though the Shiv Sena is the single largest party with 27 members.

The BJP also struck a similar alliance with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and other parties in the Akot Municipal Council in Akola district. The BJP won 11 seats in the 35-member council, with 2 seats pending election, and the AIMIM secured 2 seats. With the support of other parties, the alliance’s strength stands at 25.

‘BJP a two-headed earthworm’

The Shiv Sena (UBT) slammed the BJP over its move, saying it reflects the ruling party’s double standards and shows it can do anything to grab power.

“This reflects the double standards of the BJP. Their mentality is to do anything to grab power,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Ahir claimed.

Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut dubbed former ally BJP a “two-headed earthworm”.

Raut claimed the BJP has supported the AIMIM in the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation polls, scheduled on January 15.

From Akot to Ambernath, there is a hidden support and in some cases open backing of the BJP to the AIMIM and the Congress, he further claimed. This is a new pattern in Maharashtra, the Rajya Sabha member added.

Action will be taken against those responsible, says Fadnavis

Notably, the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde‘s Shiv Sena are partners in the ruling Mahayuti in the state.

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Fadnavis, in an interview to a news channel, said such tie-ups were unacceptable and would be scrapped.

“I am making it very clear that any alliance with the Congress or AIMIM will not be accepted. If any local leader has taken such a decision on their own, it is wrong in terms of discipline and action will be taken,” Fadnavis said, according to news agency PTI.

The Congress suspended 12 newly-elected councillors in Ambernath along with its block president Pradip Patil.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “There is no formal alliance between Congress and BJP, but the front was formed without permission.”