THE MAHARASHTRA Congress on Monday said it was ready to support President Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) Prakash Ambedkar in the Lok Sabha elections. However, the Congress had put a condition before Ambedkar that he should severe all ties with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM). “It is true that the Congress is ready to support Prakash Ambedkar if he chooses to contest next year’s parliamentary election,” said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant. Two days back, state Congress Chief Ashok Chavan had made the offer while speaking to the media in Aurangabad. While Ambedkar was not available for comment, but he has been repeatedly saying that the Congress was not responding to his demand for 12 Lok Sabha seats. Asked whether Ambedkar has responded to the offer, Sawant said the discussions with Ambedkar's party were still underway and they were hopeful of striking an alliance. About Ambedkar's demand for 12 seats, Sawant said the decision will be taken during the discussions. "Discussions at the state and highest level are happening with Ambedkar's party. We are sure something positive will come out," he said. A Congress leader, however, said an alliance with Ambedkar's party is possible only if it snaps all ties with AIMIM. "We consider AIMIM as the B-team of the BJP and therefore any alliance with Ambedkar's party will not be possible if joins hands with AIMIM," said the Congress leader. Another Congress leader said Ambedkar has put the condition of 12 seats because he knows Congress will not part with so many seats. "Ambedkar wants an excuse to part with Congress. It is clear that he has firmed up his alliance with AIMIM," the Congress leader said. Ambedkar has been quoted as saying that he was ready to join Congress-led alliance but would have nothing to do with NCP. NCP Chief Sharad Pawar had hit back, saying Ambedkar had in the past taken NCP support and was now making statements against the party. At a recent rally in Aurangabad, both AIMIM and BBM had indicated that they would fight the next state and parliamentary elections together. AIMIM MLA Imtiaz Jaleel said both the parties have had prelimary discussions and would be fighting elections jointly. "Nothing has been finalised as yet. But it is true that both the parties have agreed to fight ensuing elections jointly," he said.Jaleel said both the parties will emerge as force to reckon with in Maharashtra politics. "For long, political parties like Congress and NCP have misled the Muslims and the Dalits and treated them as votebanks without doing anything tangible for them. This will end now. Both the parties will work together for upliftment of the Dalits and Muslims," he said. Jaleel said parties like Congress and NCP have failed to ensure Ambedkar's elections to Lok Sabha. "But we will ensure that Prakash Ambedkar is elected with huge margin in the next elections," he said.
