Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi president Prakash Ambedkar slammed the MVA saying VBA’s state vice-president Dhairyavardhan Pundkar was not given due respect in the alliance in Maharashtra. He also questioned whether Nana Patole has any authority to sign any letters for including VBA in the MVA alliance. However, he reiterated that his party would join MVA led by Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP in the next meeting. His statement comes amid a crucial meeting of MVA partners over the seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
"Even though VBA’s State Vice-President was not given due respect in the MVA meeting and VBA is not aware nor informed by AICC or by Ramesh Chennithala whether Nana Patole is having any authority to sign any letters for including VBA in MVA alliance, we will join MVA in the next meeting since VBA’s priority is to defeat the BJP-RSS," Ambedka posted on X.
Shiv Sena (UBT faction) MP Sanjay Raut, after the meeting, said the MVA successfully brought CPI, CPI (M), SP, AAP and also VBA to the MVA fold.
"A meeting of MVA was held with CPI, CPI (M), SP, AAP. We also included VBA in MVA. Today, MVA has become even stronger. We did not have any differences. Seat sharing is going on very positively..," he said.
Meanwhile, Ambedkar did not attend the Maha Vikas Aghadi meeting held in Trident Hotel in Mumbai today. However, the Opposition had sent an invitation to Ambedkar to attend the meeting to discuss the seat-sharing formula in Maharashtra.
Earlier this month, Ambedkar appealed to the Shiv Sena (UBT) to ally with the VBA for the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra if the opposition (MVA) members fail to finalise a seat-sharing formula.
