Mumbai: Congress and NCP will have to clear many obstacles to realise their plan to bring all non-BJP parties in Maharashtra together. This was once again underlined on Wednesday when Bharipa Bahujan Sangh leader Prakash Ambedkar gave positive signals about forging an alliance with the Congress and the NCP, albeit with some pre-conditions. He has demanded two tickets for persons from Dhangar, Mali and scheduled tribes in the coming elections. Mr Ambedkar has formed the “Vanchit (deprived) Bahujan Sangh” to take along all like-minded parties.
Mr Ambedkar said, “We are ready to join hands with like-minded parties on our terms. We think that all deprived classes of society must get political representation in that larger alliance.”
This is the first time Mr Ambedkar has given positive indication of an alliance with the Congress and other parties. Earlier, he was maintaining equal distance from Congress as well as the BJP.
Mr Ambedkar’s change of stance could be seen in terms of his approach towards NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Previously critical of the NCP leader, on Wednesday, Mr Ambedkar welcomed Mr Pawar’s stand of using the Mahatma Phule turban instead of the Puneri turban. “Mr Pawar is a progressive leader. But he has limitations about some issues which he needs to change,” Mr Ambedkar said.
