Won’t be attending INDIA meet, have no invitation, says VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar

Heads of 28 Opposition parties are set to attend the two-day meeting that will take important decisions including the one on seat-sharing.

The VBA has forged an alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray in Maharashtra in 2022. But it has not yet taken any formal decision on whether it will be part of Maha Vikas Aghadi, which is a coalition of Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (UBT).

VBA leader Ambedkar made it clear that the party would contest Maharashtra Assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

“The Congress has not given any invitation to us to attend the INDIA meeting,” he said while terming Congress leader Nana Patole as his friend.

Ambedkar asked what was the point in joining or not joining the INDIA unless there was clarity of things. “The big question is how serious is INDIA about putting up a strong fight against PM Modi-led BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said.

“I always believe all like-minded secular parties should come together and work. But then every constituent, big or small, should be treated with equal respect.”

Ambedkar also remarked that the present situation in NCP is confusing. “On one hand Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction has joined the BJP coalition government in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar-led NCP is with INDIA. At the same time, NCP maintains it has not split but there are just differences. So, everything is so confusing. There is no clarity,” he said.

While asserting that VBA was preparing to fight the Modi-led BJP, Ambedkar said that his party would contest all the elections in Maharashtra in alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT).

“The VBA’s agenda is clear. We are the voice of the Dalits, tribal people, and the oppressed segments of Maharashtra. Irrespective of caste and community our mission is to fight for the oppressed and backward classes and give them their rights. Our fight is to save the Indian Constitution,” he added.

In 2019, VBA had contested Lok Sabha and Assembly elections alone. Although it could not win a single seat it has dented the vote share of Congress and NCP. The Congress-NCP combine lost nine Lok Sabha and 24 Assembly seats.