Sharad Pawar accepts Prakash Ambedkar in MVA, but NCP will not concede any seat in elections

NEW DELHI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar had called the meeting of his party leaders on Tuesday where they decided to accommodate Prakash Ambedkar led Vanchi Bahujan Aghadi as part of Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena alliance, but during the elections, Ambedkar will get the seats from the Shiv Sena quota only.

The NCP meeting was chaired by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Leader of Oppositions (LoP) Ajit Pawar, state NCP chief Jayant Patil, Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule etc. After the meeting, NCP state president Jayant Patil said that they have no objections on Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena allying with Prakash Ambedkar led Vanchit Bahujam Aghadi.

He said that every alliance partner of Maha Vikas Aghadi should tie up with new parties and expand the Maha Vikas Aghadi base. “But while tying up, the alliance partners should also ensure that the newly added friend (Prakash Ambedkar) should also remain in alliance till the elections,” Patil added.

Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that they came to know about the alliance of Uddhav Thackeray and Prakash Ambedkar through the media report. “We have no objections about this new alliance. We will soon have a meeting with Uddhav Thackeray where the alliance and new partners will be discussed. In the last elections, who got how many votes that are important. Every election we have to contest with fresh planning and strategy,” Pawar said.

Ajit Pawar said that in Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has a strong presence. “We already expressed our desire to contest the BMC elections with Shiv Sena. Now, Uddhav Thackeray has to take decisions over it. We are very much positive about it,” NCP leader added.

Sources said that in the NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s meeting, it was decided that Ambedkar will be part of MVA, but he will be considered as an extended alliance partner of Shiv Sena. “In the meeting, it was decided that the main alliance partners of MVA – Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP will accommodate their respective allies from their given seat quota. The main seat sharing will take place with only three partners of MVA while extended allies of MVA partners will take responsibility for their partners,” he added, requesting anonymity.

Earlier, Uddhav Thackeray said that he will pursue the NCP chief Sharad Pawar taking Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi in MVA.