There is unease in the Maharashtra Congress over the BJP's win in the Ahmednagar mayoral election with NCP support, and there is a feeling that the "pattern" could be replicated at the state level.
With state unit chief Ashok Chavan out of the country, the Congress has, however, not yet reacted officially to the development.
BJP's Babasaheb Wakale was elected Ahmednagar mayor after polling 37 votes despite the party having just 14 seats in the 68-member civic body as 18 NCP corporators, four from the Bahujan Samaj Party and one Independent voted for him.
The Shiv Sena is the largest party in the civic body with 24 seats.
The five Congress corporators in the civic body had abstained from voting.
A Congress office bearer, on condition of anonymity, said the NCP's move in the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation had the blessings of the party's state leadership.
"Unless the party (NCP) takes action against its local leaders, its credibility will be in doubt," the Congress office bearer said.
Explaining the intricacies of Ahmednagar district politics, he said, "The Shiv Sena's five time MLA from Ahmednagar city, Anil Rathod, was defeated in 2014 by Sangram Jagtap of the NCP. Sangram is son-in-law of Shivaji Kardile who is BJP MLA from neighbouring Rahuri Assembly seat."