Maharashtra Assembly elections: ‘VBA focusing on giving voice to youth with no family ties to politics,’ says Anjali Maydeo Ambedkar

Q: What is the VBA’s strategy for the November 20 Assembly elections?

Anjali: Our strategy has always been simple: give power in the form of representation to the disadvantaged or marginalised sections (Vanchits) and account for the transferability of votes from one group to another. Although this is a party policy rather than a political strategy, it will translate into success as we see heavy caste polarisation, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) being a very Maratha-dominant group on one side…the candidates’ list also suggests the same…and the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) fearing that they will lose their reservation with the Jarange Patil agitation on the other side. Jarange-Patil has withdrawn so it appears to be a Maratha-dominant caste polarisation.

Q: What are the issues that the VBA will focus on?

Anjali: Protecting reservation policy, representation for marginalised in every walk of life, sustaining Ambedkarite and republican politics, promoting quality school and higher education, and creating more opportunities for youth from Vanchit communities for economic development through public sector jobs and entrepreneurship. This will be done by providing technical know-how and credit facilities. My personal agenda through VBA will always be a free and safe public space for women and girls.

Q: Who are the ‘unusual’ and ‘highly qualified’ candidates?

Anjali: Shameebha Tai Patil, a well-known LGBTQA activist and a student of Marathi literature apart from being a visiting faculty at TISS, is contesting from Raver in Jalgaon district. We have also given opportunities to several young candidates who are highly qualified and committed to the Phule-Shahu-Ambedkar philosophy. These include advocate Afroz Mulla, a lawyer practising in the Bombay High Court, Swapnil Jawalgekar, Snehal Sohoni, Amol Nikalje from Mumbai, Vidnyan Mane from Miraj, to name a few. There are others such as Dr Kranti Sawant, a gynaecologist contesting from Hatkanagale, Kolhapur; Dr Rutuja Chavan, a gynaecologist from Mehkar, Buldhana; Prashant Gole, a PhD holder in biotechnology etc.

Q: The Opposition refers to the VBA as BJP’s ‘B team’. Please comment on which Assembly seats are set to face key contests.

Anjali: What is new? The MVA has set a narrative of the VBA being the ‘B team’ of the BJP. Whenever we did not have an alliance with the Congress, VBA has been accused of being pro-BJP. However, now we are asking our workers to pose specific questions to the Congress. For instance, why did they field Chaudhary Lal Singh, who had held a rally in support of the accused in the Kathua rape case, for the J-K Assembly polls? How is it that none of the progressive factions are protesting the MVA’s contradictory stand?

Mahayuti is enemy number 1. We have been fighting them for a long time. What we are fighting for is a space for representation – especially as the other party lists include 200+ Maratha candidates in the fray. As for key contests, there are 30 seats where we expect a good performance, including Akola, Washim, Hingoli, Parbhani, Nanded, Buldhana, Latur, Aurangabad, and a few constituencies in north and west Maharashtra.