Charging that the presence of the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) had helped the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha elections, a former founding-member of the outfit has floated his own front with plans to join hands with the opposition parties.
"The reason for quitting the VBA was that it largely benefited the Shiv Sena and BJP. We are not ready to aid the BJP-Shiv Sena, but are willing to ally with the Congress and NCP," said activist and author Laxman Mane.
Mane, who describes himself as a "founding member" of the VBA, and was its chief spokesperson, has now launched the rival 'Maharashtra Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi.' A Sahitya Academy awardee, Mane is known for his autobiography 'Upara' (outsider), and has a base in denotified communities. Mane said in 2015, he had registered a party 'Bharatiya Samajwadi Republican Congress,' and was now working on changing the nomenclature of his outfit.
Background
|
| VBA had contested all 48 LS seats in Maharashtra in an alliance with AIMIM. However, barring Imtiaz Jaleel of the AIMIM, who won from Aurangabad, all VBA nominees, including Ambedkar, who fought from Akola and Solapur, lost |
"People voted for the VBA to ensure it came to power. However, our leaders were not interested in that. They only wanted to defeat someone. What is the use of being in politics then?" he questioned.
"We will join the front led by the Congress- NCP and the Left and take the seats that are given to us. Our party will not fight all 288 seats as doing so will mean aiding the victory of the Shiv Sena and BJP... our single-point agenda is the defeat of the BJP and Shiv Sena," said Mane, a former member of the legislative council. He added that they believed in "democratic socialism," and were against privatisation, globalisation and capitalism. "We are seeking that the preamble of the Constitution and the directive principles must be implemented on priority," he noted, adding he had aligned with the front led by the Left parties and socialists. This front was in talks with the Congress and NCP for an alliance.
The VBA is blamed for eating into the Congress and NCP's votes, leading to its defeat in eight constituencies. The opposition blames the VBA for the defeat of stalwarts like former chief ministers Sushilkumar Shinde (Solapur) and Ashok Chavan (Nanded).
