Doors open for MIM: Prakash Ambedkar

Mumbai: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar Monday said that the door was still open for the AIMIM. Mr Ambedkar said that the AIMIM had parted ways but if it still wanted to forge an alliance, the VBA would welcome it.

Mr Ambedkar said, “We considered the AIMIM as a secular party because it has faith in the Constitution and works accordingly. We never closed the door for the AIMIM; they themselves closed and locked doors. So, the keys are with them now.” Discussions are still underway between AIMIM and the core committee of the VBA and if they reach a positive conclusion, everything will be alright, Mr Ambedkar said.

Earlier on September 10, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had declared that there would be no alliance between the VBA and the AIMIM. He had clarified that the stand taken by Imtiaz Jaleel, the lone MP of AIMIM from Maharas-htra, was the party’s official stand. Mr Jaleel refused to accept only 8 seats offered by the VBA.

Mr Ambedkar had earlier said that the VBA-AIMIM alliance existed till such time Mr Owaisi did not comment on it. It was soon after that Mr Owaisi backed Mr Jaleel’s stand and clarified that there would be no VBA-AIMIM alliance.

The alliance polled over 7.64 per cent votes in the Lok Sabha polls in the state by denting the social base of the Congress-NCP combine, and providing a tactical advantage to the BJP-Shiv Sena. Although the VBA-AIMIM alliance won only one seat, it definitely marred the prospects of the Congress-NCP combine in around 12 seats.