Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi Chief Prakash Ambedkar in a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday expressed his concern over delay in seat-sharing discussions among the opposition alliance in Maharashtra.
With the announcements of election dates due in a week or two, Ambedkar pointed out that the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra has not finalised seat sharing agreements within themselves.
"Despite the laziness and lack of hurriedness, we remain positive but the lazy attitude of MVA is very concerning to say the least," he said.
"I understand there is a lack of concurrence between the INC and SS (UBT) on at least 10 seats, and between INC, SS (UBT) and NCP (SP) on at least 5 seats, which are the prime reasons why the MVA is taking time to finalise the seat-sharing formula," he added.
The three time MP also mentioned in the letter that considering the lack of concurrence between Congress and SS (UBT) in Maharashtra, he had approached Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, seeking a solution to the seat-sharing problem.
"Shri Ramesh Chennithala and I spoke yesterday over an extensive telephone call and Chennithala ji shared his concern of the fractured Shiv Sena (UBT) being adamant on at least 18 seats, which the undivided Shiv Sena had won with the BJP," he said.
"Understanding the concern raised by Chennithala ji, I proposed that Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi and Congress should sit together and have a discussion on all those seats which the Congress has in mind and demanded in the MVA," he added.
Chennithala had assured him that senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat will get in touch with him to discuss further on his proposal, Ambedkar said.
"Since Shri Balasaheb Thorat has not reached out to me today, I felt that it was important to keep you informed of the developments," Ambedkar said in his letter to Kharge.
Prakash Ambedkar had on Saturday said that his Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi will not attend the Baramati rally organised by the opposition alliance without finalising the seat sharing. He also said that the party will stay away from Rahul Gandhi's Mumbai rally later this month.
“We will not participate in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)’s Baramati rally (to be held today) and Rahul Gandhi’s Mumbai rally (to be held on March 17) because until we establish coordination with them or join the MVA, attending any such MVA rally serves no purpose…,” he had said.
