The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has found itself in controversy after entering post-poll alliances with the Congress and the AIMIM in a few municipal councils in Maharashtra, even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday distanced the party from the tie-ups and warned of disciplinary action.

After last month’s civic polls, the BJP joined hands with Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in Ambernath Municipal Council under the banner Ambernath Vikas Aghadi, sidelining ally Shiv Sena despite it being the single largest party. A similar coalition was stitched together in Akot Municipal Council in Akola district, this time involving AIMIM and smaller parties.

Fadnavis said the arrangements were not cleared by the party leadership.

He said that alliances with Congress or AIMIM will “not be accepteds” and added that local leaders who took such decisions on their own would face action. Instructions have been issued to reverse the tie-ups, he said.

Opposition leaders were quick to react. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the developments showed that the BJP was willing to align with “anyone for power”. Sena MLA Dr Balaji Kinikar called the alliance in Ambernath a betrayal of coalition principles and a contradiction to BJP’s “Congress-mukt Bharat” slogan.

In Ambernath, BJP’s Tejashree Karanjule Patil was elected council president with the support of Congress and NCP, defeating Shiv Sena’s nominee. The three-party combine crossed the majority mark by securing support from an independent councillor.

In Akot, the BJP formed the Akot Vikas Manch alongside AIMIM, backed by various factions of the NCP and Shiv Sena as well as smaller regional parties. BJP’s Maya Dhule was elected mayor, while the alliance now commands a comfortable majority in the 35-member body.

BJP leaders defending the alliances said they were formed to ensure “stable and corruption-free governance”. However, the episode has sparked political friction within the ruling coalition, with Fadnavis insisting that the tie-ups violate party discipline and will not be allowed to stand.