MVA leaders not willing to give in writing they won’t switch to BJP post LS polls: VBA’s Prakash Ambedkar

According to Ambedkar, during a seat-sharing meeting, the VBA had asked the MVA party leaders to give a written undertaking to voters there will be no compromise or joining hands with the BJP after the polls.

Ambedkar claimed that except for Awhad, none of the leaders showed willingness to give this in writing. Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut bluntly refused to give any such undertaking, he said.

“…through this letter, we are telling you that the representatives of our party were present in a meeting (of MVA). When we suggested that we have to assure the voters that we will not compromise with BJP or RSS after the elections. The representatives of your party (NCP-SP) there did not say anything about it. He just sat and expressed his denial in an awe-inspiring silence. Only you just said, ‘What is wrong in giving it in writing?'” said Ambedkar in the letter to Awhad written in Marathi and posted on X.

” In this backdrop, if we (VBA) have to be with you (MVA alliance), then we have to make sure that you will not join hands with the BJP after the election… you will have to give assurance, not personally, but your party has to give that assurance,” Ambedkar said.

In the letter, Ambedkar said he did not trust the NCP(SP) that it will not join hands or compromise with the BJP after the poll because the NCP had earlier compromised with the BJP.

“We agree that you personally have taken a responsibility to save the Constitution, but will your party also come forward to save the Constitution? We have doubts about this. We will continue to do whatever and as much as we can to save the Constitution,” said Ambedkar.

With the MVA parties’ chiefs scheduled to hold a meeting on Wednesday to finalise the seat sharing formula between the Opposition bloc, Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray met NCP(SP) president Sharad Pawar at his residence Silver Oak in South Mumbai.

The two leaders met for over an hour and discussed the agenda of Wednesday’s meeting and the plan to accomodate VBA into the MVA and the proposed seat sharing.

“The chiefs including Uddhav, Pawar and also Ambedkar will sit together and discuss the seat sharing formula,” Sanjay Raut said.

Regarding the VBA chief’s letter, Sources said Sharad Pawar spoke to Ambedkar over the phone and the leaders will together speak to Ambedkar about seat sharing.