MumbaiIn a significant move, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Party, or Shiv Sena (UBT), on Monday announced an alliance with Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). The alliance comes ahead of upcoming civic polls in several parts of Maharashtra, including elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which are expected to be held this year.
While Shiv Sena’s (UBT’s) Maha Vikas Aghadi allies – the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – have welcomed the announcement, it is not yet clear how the VBA will be accommodated within the MVA.
Addressing a joint press conference with Ambedkar, Uddhav Thackeray said, “Today, January 23, is the birth anniversary of Balasaheb Thackeray. I am satisfied and happy that many people of Maharashtra want us to come together and I am here to announce the alliance with Prakash Ambedkar. (Prabodhankar) Thackeray (my grandfather) and Ambedkar (Babasaheb) have a history and our grandfathers were allies who fought against social issues at that time. Prakash is the grandson of BR Ambedkar, a national leader and Dalit icon who headed the committee that drafted the Indian Constitution.
Talking about the alliance, Prakash Ambedkar said, ‘At the moment both of us are together. The Congress has not yet accepted the alliance. But I hope they will come on board and everyone knows my relation with Sharad Pawar (NCP chief). My differences with him are based on direction and leadership. It’s not personal. But I am hopeful that NCP will also form an alliance.
To this Thackeray said, ‘Even the Congress and NCP knew about our relations. But three years ago we came close and made the MVA. I have also spoken to Congress and NCP. I don’t think he has any problem with you (Ambedkar). Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena are political friends of all of us and we should come together. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has been at loggerheads with the Congress and the NCP for being allies of the BJP in the past.
When NCP chief Sharad Pawar was asked on Sunday about the possibility of Shiv Sena (UBT) and VBA alliance, he had said, “I am not aware of any development. And I don’t even get involved in these things.”
When ThePrint spoke to Congress and NCP leaders on Monday, they welcomed the decision.
The Bhim Shakti-Shiv Shakti Prayog (alliance of Shiv Sena and Dalit leaders) was undertaken by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena ahead of the then BMC elections in 2012, when it allied with Dalit rights activist Ramdas Athawale’s Republican Party of India. India (A). However, with Athawale now with the BJP, Thackeray is attempting another Bhim Shakti-Shiv Shakti front with the VBA alliance to attract Dalit votes.
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Importance of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi
An alliance with the VBA could revive the fortunes of Uddhav’s party, especially in Vidarbha where Ambedkar’s VBA has a strong presence following a split in the Shiv Sena following the Eknath Shinde-led rebellion that led to the formation of the Balasahebchi Shiv Sena. party last year.
vba Contested 2019 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi. Although it did not get a single seat, VBA won 14 percent out of the total votes polled in the state, and reportedly damaged the prospects of the Congress in at least seven seats.
While the VBA’s performance in the Maharashtra Assembly elections later that year was also weak, the Congress blamed for The party had to face defeat in at least 25 seats.
Talking about the Shiv Sena (UBT)-VBA alliance on Monday, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said, ,We welcome all such parties who believe in the Constitution and believe that democracy is under threat. And the seat-sharing formula for the elections will be discussed later. Due to the division of votes, BJP got more numbers in the whole country and if someone wants to avoid that division, then it is a welcome step.
NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, “It is a good sign, and like-minded people should always come together and fight the divisive forces, so it is a welcome sign.” , then he becomes part of MVA because Shiv Sena (UBT) is an integral part of MVA. As a supporter and ally of Shiv Sena, he becomes part of MVA. And like-minded people should come together.”
On the differences between the NCP and Ambedkar, Crasto said, “There are no permanent friends or enemies in politics. And any friend of Shiv Sena is our friend. So the MVA will welcome it and when the time comes for seat sharing, that is when the real process will start. So the decision will be taken according to that time.
Thackeray also said that the seat-sharing formula would be discussed later. “Once we decide who will contest from where, we will discuss seat-sharing,” he said. You saw how we recently made adjustments to the upcoming MLC elections (to be held later this month). Similarly, I hope there will be further understanding.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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