In recent days, Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray – Shiv Sena (UBT) has formed an alliance with Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). However, other parties with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), namely the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), are uncertain whether they will be a part of this coalition.
The Shiv Sena leaders believe that this alliance has been done for the betterment of society and giving opportunities to the VBA might also help us for the elections.
Speaking on this newly formed alliance, Shiv Sena deputy leader Dr Neelam Gorhe told us, “These two ideological parties are coming together only for the betterment of Maharashtra. The Shiv Shakti and Bhim Shakti alliance is focusing on 80% of social development and only 20% politics. But not sure if Congress and NCP will be a part of this alliance or not.”
The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi was formed by Prakash Ambedkar the grandson of Dr BR Ambedkar. Ambedkar’s VBA and Asaduddin Owaisi’s All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had come together to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra, as per a report the alliance came to an end due to seat distribution.
On his part, Ambedkar while speaking to a leading daily had said that he was keen on joining hands with either the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena or the Congress, but not the MVA, for the local body polls expected to take place later this year.
When we asked about the alliance of Shiv Shakti and Bhim Shakti’s future “Anything can happen in politics but we will try to keep this alliance intact” Dr Gorhe further added.
According to experts, this alliance has come in place only for the upcoming elections and to gain maximum number of votes, but looking at the approach of Ambedkar not too keen of joining the MVA, it is difficult to say if this alliance has any future.
“This alliance is proof that it is working for the larger cause of the people rather than selecting few and this is not some short-term alliance for the upcoming elections,” said Thackeray-led Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi.
While Sena MLC Sachin Ahir said, “This combination can give a tough fight to the opposition in the upcoming election.” Whether VBA will be part of the MVA alliance he said, “that discussion is still pending and when it comes to seat sharing that discussion will be the party’s internal matter.”
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While speculations are this alliance is only done for the upcoming Municipal elections of Mumbai, Sena MP Vinayak Raut cleared the air and said, “This alliance is done for all the elections and whatever number of seats is required will be given to that party.”
We asked the Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant on his party’s stand on this alliance he said, “Doing alliance with VBA was Sena’s independent decision, though we are waiting for talks with Sena and VBA over their thought of joining the MVA alliance, as the entire idea should only be for the betterment of MVA.”
While NCP has got a different perspective on this alliance when asked if they are ready to accept VBA as part of MVA alliance.
NCP spokesperson Fauzia Khan said, “Every party is free to have their own alliances and as per NCP chief Pawar’s statement that ‘we will be going together with good understanding’.”
