India, Jan. 7 -- The Congress on Wednesday suspended its local leadership in Ambernath after the party's councillors joined hands with the BJP to form the municipal council leadership, triggering embarrassment for the opposition party amid the larger political row over cross-party civic alliances in Maharashtra.

Vice president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Ganesh Patil has written to Ambernath Congress block president Pradeep Patil, informing him of his suspension from the party for entering into an alliance with the BJP without the knowledge or approval of the state leadership.

"This is not a good thing, so as per instructions by the state president, Harshwardhan, you are being suspended from the party."

In the ...