‘To keep democracy alive’: Uddhav Sena and Prakash Ambedkar’s VBA join hands

“The Shiv Sena and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi have decided to come together. The future political roadmap will be decided on the situation that prevails at that particular moment,” said Thackeray at a joint press conference he held with Prakash Ambedkar in Mumbai on the occasion of Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth anniversary.

“We have embarked on a naya rasta and naya rishta (a new road and a new relationship),” said both leaders as they announced the alliance ahead of the civic elections in Mumbai as well as several other civic bodies.

Calling it a historical event, Thackeray said, “Today a dream has been fulfilled and the people of Maharashtra were eagerly waiting for this alliance. The names Thackeray and Ambedkar have a history. Both Prakash Ambedkar’s grandfather Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and my grandfather Prabodhankar Thackeray worked to eradicate the evil practices and tendencies of society. Even today some bad customs are present in the country and the politics. To eradicate those evil forces, the inheritors of these two families and the people around them have come together. We have come to protect the country and the democracy of the country.”

Ambedkar also said the Sena’s Hindutva is acceptable to the VBA. “We accept the Hindutva that Prabodhankar Thackeray has laid out. The Enlighteners formulated Hinduism from the perspective of reforming the social system. Also, we accept his Hindutva which unites all the society. The Shiv Sena is a party based on Balasaheb’s ideas and Hindutva.”

Ambedkar also said the alliance is between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the VBA for the moment, but he hoped the Congress and the NCP also join in. To which, Thackeray said he has not seen any opposition from the Congress and NCP to the inclusion of the VBA in the MVA and he shouldn’t be worried about it.

While the Congress party said it has no problem with a like-minded party joining the MBA fold, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Sunday he does not want to get into the issue of the alliance and Ajit Pawar will speak about it.

Stating he hopes Pawar will also come along, Ambedkar said, “I have read the reaction of Sharad Pawar. There is nothing new in it. Our feud is very old. It is not about farming it is about leadership… I am hoping that he will join hands with us because I look at this battle with a different perspective”.

Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said, “At a time when our democracy is under threat, a like-minded party joining the MVA fold is a positive move. We have no problem with VBA joining hands with us. As regards seat-sharing, it will be discussed as the situation emerges.”

Thackeray said the alliance, which has come after a split in the Sena, has been formed keeping in mind the current political scenario.

“We need to take to the people whatever that is happening in the country. The Prime Minister was in Mumbai last week. When the election draws near, the poor are praised. After they vote, they find themselves on the road. On the other hand, they (PM) keep flying high. All this needs to stop and that is why we have come together,” the Sena (UBT) chief said.

“People are misled by triggering controversies… We want to free people from such ideological pollution. To keep our democracy alive and maintain the sanctity of our Constitution, we have come together.”

Ambedkar said there was a need for Shiv Shakti and Bhim Shakti to unite for the good of the country and the state. He added the coming together of Shiv Sena (UBT) and VBA will lead to politics of change. “Voters decide who will get elected. But it is up to the political parties to decide who should contest… The rise of dynastic politics has sidelined concern for the poor. And that is why capitalists and looters are at the helm of power,” he said.

Thackeray and Ambedkar also launched an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and said the country is going under autocracy.

Slamming the Central Government, Ambedkar said, “Today, attempts are being made to finish off the political leadership through the Enforcement Directorate. If a leader has done anything wrong, then action should be initiated against him. Take him to court and then put him in jail. But currently, they are not being taken to court but are put in jail in a bid to humiliate the leadership.”

“No one is immortal. No one has come with an ‘immortal belt’ around him. Similarly, one day, it will be all over for Narendra Modi.”

It was in November 2022 that Uddhav and Ambedkar had shared the dais for the first time in Mumbai. It was at the relaunch of the website on Uddhav’s grandfather Prabodhankar Thackeray.

After that Ambedkar and Thackeray took the decision to work together and forge an alliance. Several meetings took place between the two parties. However, as per Ambedkar, NCP and Congress were reluctant to an alliance with his VBA. Although both sides are on the same page regarding the pre-poll alliance, details are still being formalised.

Last month, the Jogendra Kawade-led People’s Republican Party (PRP), which has a following among Dalits in the state, had joined hands with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena.