Ambedkar writes to Kharge, wants direct discussion on Lok Sabha seats

VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar seeks direct discussion with Congress over Lok Sabha seats amid MVA uncertainty. Dispute over 15 seats delays seat-sharing formula.

Amid speculations that the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) may not take him on board, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday said he had written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge seeking a direct discussion with him over allocation of seats for Lok Sabha elections.

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The Dalit leader also claimed Congress leaders were upset with the adamant approach of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to fight at least 18 Lok Sabha seats.

“I wrote a letter to Mallikarjun Kharge on March 10, wherein I highlighted the telephonic conversation between I and Ramesh Chennithala (Congress in-charge for Maharashtra). Taking into account the time left for elections, the lack of concurrence between INC (Indian National Congress) and Shiv Sena (UBT), and no finalisation of a seat-sharing formula in the MVA, I had approached Chennithala on March 9. We had an extensive telephone call. Chennithala ji shared his concern of Shiv Sena (UBT) being adamant on at least 18 seats,” Ambedkar said in the letter which he shared on X.

He further said, “I proposed that Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and Congress should sit together and have a discussion on all those seats which the Congress has in mind and demanded in the MVA. I hope Congress and VBA will soon sit together so that we can go forward to topple the BJP-RSS government.”

A dispute over 15 seats and laziness were some of the reasons that the MVA is yet to finalise a seat-sharing formula, he said in the letter.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar confirmed that Ambedkar had written a letter to the national president, Kharge, and the latter along with other key party leaders would decide on his demand.

Thackeray faction MP Sanjay Raut, however, said the MVA had already offered four seats to Ambedkar and discussions with him were going on. He also refuted the claim that 15 Lok Sabha seats were in dispute.

“I am a follower of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. I have not lied while briefing the media about the MVA seat-sharing talks. Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP (the Sharad Pawar faction) have almost agreed on a formula. In the last meeting we offered four seats to Ambedkar and all the four seats were part of his demand. I would not say Ambedkar is lying but he is explaining the policy of his party and the MVA wants him in the alliance,” Raut said.

Speaking to reporters in Akola, Ambedkar said Raut had given wrong information to the media about the seat-sharing talks with VBA.

Siddharth Mokale, chief spokesperson for VBA, said, “We challenge Sanjay Raut to declare the details on those 15 seats within 24 hours if there is no dispute on them.”

Ambedkar has been in talks with the MVA partners but is not happy with the seats offered to him. On the other hand, Congress and the Sharad Pawar faction suspect that he may ditch their coalition at the eleventh hour and have been cautious in dealing with him.