The Indian National Congress has suspended 12 of its municipal councillors in Maharashtra for allegedly aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in local-body political maneuvers, terming the move a serious breach of party discipline.
Party sources said the action followed reports of cross-voting and informal coordination with the BJP during recent municipal developments, despite clear instructions to adhere to the Congress line. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee flagged the issue, prompting the leadership to act swiftly to enforce organisational discipline.
Congress leaders maintained that the suspensions were necessary to deter defections and opportunistic alliances at the grassroots level. The affected councillors have denied entering into any formal tie-up, claiming their decisions were guided by local governance concerns.
