VBA to contest all 288 seats in Maharashtra

The front, including Ambedkar, AIMIM and JD (S), could eat into Cong-NCP votes

The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), a front of Prakash Ambedkar, could spell trouble for the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party in the upcoming Assembly elections too. Reason? Ambedkar has declared he will contest all 288 seats in the state, allying with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Janata Dal (S). The triangular contest may split the Opposition’s votes, giving an advantage to the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance.

Prakash Ambedkar (centre) with Asaduddin Owaisi (to his left) at a rally in Mumbai on February 23, 2019. (HT FILE)

The VBA contested all 48 Lok Sabha seats in the recently concluded elections in Maharashtra, and is believed to have taken away a chunk of the Congress-NCP votes. Ambedkar said the VBA has started to prepare for the polls. “We are all set to contest 288 seats and our preparations are on in full swing, Our candidate selection process has begun,” Ambedkar told Hindustan Times.

The Opposition front was keen to take Ambedkar on board to prevent a split of anti-BJP votes, but it did not happen. Both Ambedkar and Congress-NCP leaders accused each other of playing hardball.

The Assembly elections are important for both the alliances. The Congress-NCP is trying hard to displace the Sena-BJP on the grounds that it has failed on all fronts, while the alliance led by CM Devendra Fadnavis is trying to protect its turf.

“We will not go to any party for an alliance. If the Congress-NCP wants, they are welcome, but on our terms,” Ambedkar said.

He said the BVA-AIMIM-JD (S) was strong enough to challenge the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance.

When questioned about the split in secular votes, he said, “Then the Congress-NCP, too, should wind up their parties and offer outside support to BVA.”

The Congress, however, called it an attempt to help the BJP-Sena alliance. “In the Lok Sabha polls, he went out of his way to help Modi. Now it seems he has not succeeded, which is why he is resorting to such tactics,” said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant. Political analyst Hemant Desai said the move could have an impact on the overall scenario. “The Lok Sabha election results will be a factor, but Assembly elections are different. The victory margins are small and diversion of votes by Ambedkar can play a decisive role. You can’t ignore him,” said Desai.