The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) continued to give headaches for the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with Mr. Ambedkar on March 9 making clear he would neither participate in Congressman Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (when it enters Maharashtra) nor join any of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar’s public meetings unless there was better coordination between the MVA parties and the VBA.
Despite the MVA (comprising of the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction, the Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction) repeatedly stating that the VBA was a member of their alliance, Mr. Ambedkar stubbornly continued to insist that his party was not a part of the Opposition coalition unless the three core parties resolved their seat-sharing issues first.
“Until we are not part of the MVA and until there is more clarity on their part [regarding seat-sharing], we will not be attending any public meeting of the MVA leaders, be that of Rahul Gandhi or Sharad Pawar,” said Mr. Ambedkar, a grandson of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Despite attending an MVA seat-sharing meeting earlier this week after which it seemed that the parleys were positive, Mr. Ambedkar, to everybody’s surprise, lashed out at the Congress during his rallies. The VBA chief continued to remain suspicion of the Congress’ intentions, remarking there was “no openness” among the MVA allies towards the VBA.
During the VBA’s rally in Ichalkaranji (in Sangli district) on Friday evening, Mr. Ambedkar, launching a broadside on the Congress, had claimed it was a party of contractors.
“One former Congress CM has already left [alluding to Ashok Chavan]…there are many such contractors within the Congress. Our advise to [Congress president] Mallikarjun Kharge to weed these people out of his party. Only then can the Congress go,” Mr. Ambedkar said.
Reacting to the VBA chief’s hostile remarks, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said one could not think of an adequate response made by someone professing to be an ally.
“On the one hand, he [Mr. Ambedkar] extends the had of friendship. On the other, he keeps up this criticism of the Congress. What reaction can one give on such contradictory behaviour?” Mr. Patole said.
Even though the VBA does not have a single MP in Maharashtra, Mr. Ambedkar is said to command a sizable portion of the Ambedkarite votes.
With the MVA now consisting of an atrophied Shiv Sena-and the NCP, both beset by vertical splits, the Opposition coalition wants to take the VBA along with them rather than see Mr. Ambedkar contest on his own and cannibalise the traditional vote-banks of the Congress and the NCP.
