MVA wrangles over 10 seats, claims Prakash Ambedkar; hints at going solo

Mumbai: Signaling that all is not well in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar claimed that the alliance members are still engaged in a tug-of-war over at least 10 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, here on Tuesday.

Rubbishing the statements by MVA constituent Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s that the seat-sharing has almost been finalised amicably, Ambedkar accused him of ‘misleading’ the media.

“They have yet to reach an understanding on around 10 seats. Sanjay Raut is giving out wrong information on this issue. Everybody is concerned about the delay… The squabble is between the Congress and SS-UBT,” Ambedkar contended.

Taking umbrage, Raut shot back asking Ambedkar to prove what he was ‘lying’ about, adding that the MVA is in touch directly with Ambedkar on the issue.

The SS-UBT is reportedly firm on contesting 18 seats, while the Congress is eyeing 20 seats, barely leaving room for manoeuvre for the other allies including the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) or VBA.

Ambedkar also expressed doubts over the national opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s ability to keep regional parties together and referred to All India Trinamool Congress President and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unilaterally putting up candidates in all 42 LS seats there.

Ambedkar — whose VBA has allied with the SS-UBT — again dropped hints at going solo in case the MVA fails to reach an acceptable seat-sharing agreement with all the allies on priority.

Interestingly, the VBA chief’s statements came just hours before Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra enters Maharashtra at Nandurbar this afternoon on its final lap which will end at Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai, followed by an I.N.D.I.A. bloc mega-rally on March 17.

Ambedkar added that on March 10, he wrote to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge highlighting his conversation with AICC General Secretary Ramesh Chennithala.

Since there was no progress in the seat-sharing discussions in the MVA, Ambedkar said he spoke with Chennithala on March 9 extensively.

“Chennithala shared his concern about Shiv Sena (UBT) being adamant on at least 18 seats. I proposed that VBA and Congress should sit together and have a discussion on all those seats which Congress has in mind and demanded in the MVA. I hope Congress and VBA will soon sit together so that we can move forward to topple the BJP-RSS government,” said Ambedkar.