After splitting from MVA, Prakash Ambedkar's VBA releases candidates list
Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has released its list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. During a press conference in Akola, the grandson of Dr. BR Ambedkar revealed the names of eight candidates and hinted at a future announcement for a candidate from Ramtek. The announcement came shortly after the party severed ties with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra over failed seat-sharing talks.
Why does this story matter?
Ambedkar had demanded 16 of Maharashtra's 48 seats but received an offer of only four. On Tuesday, Ambedkar gave the MVA one more day to decide on his demands. After not getting the seats demanded, the VBA severed ties with the MVA. This means that the VBA will not form an alliance with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), a big tent multi-party political alliance formed to take on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming polls.
VBA levels accusations at MVA over alliance negligence
At the press conference, Ambedkar accused the MVA of overlooking key alliance factors, specifically the Manoj Jarange Patil factor. He claimed that the MVA, which includes Shiv Sena, Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, intended to use the VBA as a shield for their political dynasties. The MVA had been seeking an alliance with the VBA to counteract the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections.
Check out VBA's candidate list here
VBA joins hands with community-based organizations
Following the exit, the party has joined hands with community-based organizations like the OBC federation and Maratha community. Ambedkar stated that the party will also field Muslim candidates in an attempt to reverse the BJP's isolationist policies. "We will also be fielding Jain candidates," he said, according to the Indian Express. Maharashtra has the second highest Lok Sabha seats (48), after Uttar Pradesh (80). Polling in the state will take place in five phases beginning on April 19.
Shiv Sena announces 17 candidates for Lok Sabha elections
At the same time, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has released the list of 17 candidates for the upcoming general elections. The party has fielded former Union Minister Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South and sitting MP Gajanan Kirtikar's son, Amol Kirtikar, from Mumbai North-West. The 48 Lok Sabha seats of Maharashtra will go to polls in five stages starting from April 19.