‘I.N.D.I.A Doesn't Exist Anymore’: Prakash Ambedkar As He Joins MVA's LS Seat-Sharing Talks

Lok Sabha Polls: According to the MVA leaders, the coalition partners are in the process of finalising a comprehensive seat-sharing agreement in Maharashtra, with discussions on 10 to 12 seats still pending.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) president and Dr B R Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar joined the seat-sharing negotiations of the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the next Lok Sabha elections. According to news agency PTI, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who is a member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), shared a picture of the Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar being welcomed at the meeting.

Apart from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), the Congress and the NCP faction under party founder Sharad Pawar are in alliance with the MVA.

According to the MVA leaders, the coalition partners are in the process of finalising a comprehensive seat-sharing agreement, with discussions on 10 to 12 seats still pending. With Maharashtra boasting 48 Lok Sabha seats, the negotiation process holds significance, considering it has the second-highest number of seats in the country, following Uttar Pradesh with 80 seats.

After the meeting, Ambedkar told reporters that a decision had been made to ensure that the Maha Vikas Aghadi does not end up like the I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc, which he said: "doesn't exist anymore", news agency PTI reported.

Decided To Ensure MVA Doesn't Go The I.N.D.I.A. Way: Prakash Ambedkar

Prakash Ambedkar's remarks come as the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. has started off with 20-odd parties to take down the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha election 2024 but the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal and the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and Punjab decided to fight alone.

After the meeting, Ambedkar said, "I left early as I had to attend a pre-scheduled event. I have put forward some issues with the MVA and the three (constituent) parties will discuss them internally and make additions if needed." He further added that the draft of the meeting will be finalised later, reported PTI.

He also said, "We have decided to ensure the MVA doesn't go the I.N.D.I.A. way and tread cautiously. Seat sharing will be discussed later. A common minimum agenda for the alliance is being discussed."

"According to me, the INDIA alliance does not exist anymore. The Congress and Samajwadi Party are going their separate ways over disagreements on seat sharing (in Uttar Pradesh). This should not happen here (in MVA). (Bihar chief minister) Nitish Kumar and (West Bengal CM) Mamta Banerjee have gone separately," Ambedkar told reporters.

Raut posted on his social media X, “With VBA joining the MVA, the fight to protect the Constitution of India becomes stronger. We will fight against mobocracy.” 

NCP’s Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad, Congress leaders Nana Patole, Ashok Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, and Varsha Gaikwad and Sena (UBT)’s Raut are part of the seat-sharing talks committee, PTI reported.

The BJP secured 23 seats in the 2019 general elections, whereas the Shiv Sena, in its entirety, secured 18 seats. Four seats were held by the NCP, which split up last year; the Congress, AIMIM, and an independent candidate each received one seat.

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