Unexpected tie-up in Achalpur: BJP, AIMIM and Congress join hands in civic body

Under the alliance, an AIMIM councillor was elected unopposed the chair of the education and sports committee

• BJP, AIMIM, Congress allied in Achalpur for unopposed council elections.
• AIMIM, Congress, BJP councillors secured key committee chairperson roles.
• Similar alliances formed in Akot and Ambernath civic bodies after local polls

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In a surprising development and a move that is at odds with their central leaderships’ stated positions, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), All India Majlis-e- Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Congress have come together in the Achalpur Municipal Council in Maharashtra’s Amravati district to secure the unopposed election of multiple committee chairpersons.

The development comes days after the BJP formed similar alliances with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM in Akot and the Congress in the Ambernath civic body.

The recent local body elections in Achalpur saw Congress bagging 15 of the 41 seats, BJP securing nine, AIMIM (3), Independents (10), Prahar Janshakti Party (2) and NCP (2).

Under the alliance, an AIMIM councillor was elected unopposed the chair of the education and sports committee, a Congress member was chosen to head the water supply committee, and a BJP councillor took charge of the women and child welfare committee.

Achalpur BJP MLA Pravin Tayade said he was not taken into confidence when the arrangement was worked out, noting that his responsibility during the local body elections was limited to ward number 1.

“I’m an MLA with a Hindutva ideology, and our party also follows Hindutva ideology. So, I can never do such a thing. However, whatever decision our party seniors take in this matter, we will accept it,” he said in response to a question about the understanding between the BJP and AIMIM, according to a report by PTI.

After the local body polls in the state last month, the BJP had stitched a partnership with the AIMIM in the Akot Municipal Council in Akola district, but it was scrapped following a rebuke by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

In the Ambernath Municipal Council, the BJP and Congress joined hands to keep the Shiv Sena at bay. The move prompted the Congress to suspend all its 12 councillors, but they soon joined the BJP.