Firm on alliance with Owaisi, but could tie-up with Congress too, says Ambedkar

BBM leader says Cong delay led to the move, will wait for them till the time of filing the nominations

While claiming to be “firm on the decision to forge an electoral alliance with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM)”, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday said he would wait to partner with the Congress “till the time of filing nominations”.

Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash (Balasaheb) Ambedkar addressing media at Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh office at Ballard Estate in Mumbai on Thursday. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

In view of the aggressive nature of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), there have been efforts by the Opposition parties to form a grand alliance against it. Both Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Congress president Rahul Gandhi are playing a major role in helping the alliance materialise.

The Congress objected to the alliance with the AIMIM announced this week, on the grounds that the latter was a communal party and its chief Asaduddin Owaisi was driving the BJP’s agenda in polarising the masses. Also, Ambedkar has refused to dump his new ally, which is the precondition of the Congress.

Addressing the media following the criticism by the Shiv Sena and other parties that the two of them will help split the Opposition votes, Ambedkar said: “We will contest the Maharashtra elections in partnership with the AIMIM. They will be with us irrespective of whether we ally with the Congress or not.”

Blaming the Congress for the delay, he said, “We started talks two months ago and submitted our demand for 12 Lok Sabha seats. However, there was no response from the Congress. In view of the current situation, we will wait for the Congress till the time of filing nominations.”

Ambedkar also came down heavily on the NCP, calling it a communal outfit. “Pawar is 100% secular, but the party is not,” he said.

The Congress, however, said the alliance in such circumstances is not possible. “We consider both BJP and the AIMIM two sides of the same coin. The Congress has a policy not to align with communal forces. Our talks with Ambedkar will not be fruitful, until he breaks ties with the AIMIM,” said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

Ambedkar’s BBM is one of the major Dalit outfits in the state, wielding considerable clout. The AIMIM too has a considerable following among Muslims and has two legislators in the Maharashtra Assembly.