In a surprising turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has formed an alliance with the Congress and the NCP-led by Ajit Pawar to seize control of the Ambernath Municipal Council, despite the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena emerging as the single-largest party in the recent elections. This unlikely coalition has resulted in the BJP securing the Council President's post, ending Shiv Sena's rule in Ambernath.

In the Ambernath Municipal Council elections, Shinde's Shiv Sena won 23 seats, while the BJP secured 16, Congress 12, and NCP (Ajit Pawar) 4, in the 59-member council. Despite the Shiv Sena having the most seats, the BJP strategically aligned with Congress and NCP to reach a working majority.

The battle for the Municipal Council President was a high-stakes contest. BJP's Tejashri Karanjule defeated Manisha Walekar, the Shinde faction's candidate, to become the Council President. This victory marks the first time the BJP has come to power in Ambernath in 35 years.

Gulabrao Karanjule Patil, the BJP Vice-President, defended the move, stating that they had attempted to discuss a grand alliance (Mahayuti) with the Shinde faction but received no response. This suggests that the BJP's decision to align with Congress was a tactical maneuver to gain control of the council.

Historically, Ambernath has been a stronghold where the Shiv Sena and BJP have shared a complex relationship. While they are allies in the Maharashtra government, local rivalries often take precedence over state-level agreements. The BJP's willingness to partner with the Congress to sideline the Shinde faction indicates a strategic shift as parties compete for local dominance in anticipation of upcoming state elections.

The development has triggered reactions from various political factions. The Shinde Sena has criticized the BJP-Congress alliance, denouncing it as an "unholy alliance". This alliance is particularly noteworthy because the BJP and Congress are traditional rivals in national politics, with significantly different ideologies.

The election run-up saw some disturbances, including a firing incident at the office of a BJP candidate, Pawan Walekar. Despite these incidents, voting occurred under tight security. Allegations of voter irregularities, such as distribution of money and tampering with EVMs, also surfaced during the election.

The Ambernath election is part of a larger series of municipal corporation elections underway in Maharashtra. The Mahayuti allies are contesting separately in 24 out of 29 municipal corporations, underscoring the local complexities and rivalries within the ruling alliance.