Amid ally trouble, one party keeps Congress, others hanging: Prakash Ambedkar’s VBA

As the Opposition is battling ally troubles on many fronts, its attempts to get the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) led by Prakash Ambedkar on board in Maharashtra has been sputtering, in fits and starts. On Thursday, Ambedkar responded to an invite by Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole to join seat-sharing talks with the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance by questioning Patole’s authority on the matter.

The MVA had requested Ambedkar to send a representative to the talks, in n a letter signed jointly by Jayant Patil of the NCP (Sharad Pawar), Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Patole.

Speaking to The Indian Express on his refusal to attend, Ambedkar said: “We have already conveyed our reasons (for not attending the meeting) to the Congress. Firstly, we received the invitation at 1 pm for the 3 pm meeting.” Accusing the Congress of creating “confusion”, the VBA chief added: “AICC leaders said they will talk to us when the elections are announced. When the central leadership has taken a stand, there is no reason for state Congress president Nana Patole to decide on the VBA. Does he really have the power to decide (whether or not to include VBA in the alliance)?”

Ambedkar also said that his political stand has been consistent and his party would join any party or coalition which is “sincere” in its fight against the RSS and BJP. “Elections or not, the VBA has been fighting the RSS and BJP. Our ideology remains uncompromised. The problem is with the Congress, whose central and state leaders make different statements leading to confusion,” he said, adding that the VBA would join the INDIA bloc or MVA provided it was treated as an equal.

Ambedkar’s stand appears to stem from the fact that the Congress, Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar