Mumbai: Confusion Surrounds Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi’s Stance on Alliance with MahaVikas Aghadi

Mumbai, 31st January 2024: The political landscape in Maharashtra is shrouded in uncertainty as the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) raises questions about its potential alliance with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a tri-party coalition consisting of the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar Faction), and Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. The official ‘X’ account of VBA, recently posted two tweets that have added to the confusion regarding the party’s role in the opposition effort in Maharashtra.

In the first tweet, VBA President Prakash Ambedkar cast doubt on the official nature of the signature by Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole. Ambedkar raised concerns, asserting that without the signature of the party president Mallikarjun Kharge on the letter, he considered Patole’s signature to be in a personal capacity. However, Ambedkar sought to dispel any perception of discord in the second tweet, reiterating his unwavering commitment to the battle against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and affirming that personal considerations would not impede this fight.

This recent development comes after Ambedkar voiced apprehensions about the lack of clarity regarding alliance decisions within the MVA ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He pointed out conflicting statements within the MVA, with AICC In-charge for Maharashtra, Ramesh Chennithala, announcing the inclusion of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi in the MVA. Simultaneously, Nana Patole independently issued an invitation, raising doubts about the coherence of the decision-making process.

Prakash Ambedkar clarified that the VBA remains open to attending a meeting if invited by influential figures such as Ramesh Chennithala, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, or Mallikarjun Kharge. However, he emphasized that any invitation must be respectful and carry the official signatures of the respective party presidents within the MVA, aiming to bring clarity to the alliance discussions and dispel the prevailing confusion