<p>Mumbai: The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi - which comprises of various parties and groups of Dalits, Tribals, Dhangars, Kolis, Agris, Banjaras, Malis, Kaikadis and other communities - has been formally inducted to the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the I.N.D.I.A opposition bloc in Maharashtra.</p><p>Ambedkar, on his part, confirmed that he would join the MVA formation in Maharashtra for talks from the next meeting. </p><p>The three leading parties of MVA are Congress, Sharad Pawar-Supriya Sule-led NCP and Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT).</p><p>Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, a two-time Lok Sabha MP and one-term Rajya Sabha MP.</p><p>The MVA, in its letterhead signed by state Congress President Nana Patole, his NCP counterpart Jayant Patil and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, sent a formal letter to Balasaheb, as Ambedkar is popularly known.</p>. <p>“The country is going through a very serious situation. A country with a great democratic tradition is turning to dictatorship,” the joint letter said as it indicted VBA as a political ally. </p><p>“People suspect in 2024 (Lok Sabha polls), if there is a different result in the country (and BJP comes to power again), this will probably be the last election. We know that the Maha Vikas Aghadi was established to change this situation and bring about change in the state and the country,” it added.</p><p>“The induction of VBA will surely strengthen the anti-dictatorship struggle in the country. The Constitution of India is in danger. We have to come together and save the Constitution,” said Raut. </p><p>Ambedkar is very crucial for the MVA. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress-NCP Democratic Front has suffered a dent in votebank because of VBA and Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and defeated them in more than a dozen seats. However, the VBA-AIMIM alliance broke before the 2019 Assembly polls. </p><p>Ambedkar said: “Even though VBA’s state Vice President was not given due respect in the MVA meeting and VBA is not aware nor informed by AICC or by Ramesh Chennithala whether Nana Patole is having any authority to sign any letters for including VBA in MVA alliance, we will join MVA in the next meeting since VBA’s priority is to defeat the BJP-RSS.”</p>
<p>Mumbai: The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi - which comprises of various parties and groups of Dalits, Tribals, Dhangars, Kolis, Agris, Banjaras, Malis, Kaikadis and other communities - has been formally inducted to the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the I.N.D.I.A opposition bloc in Maharashtra.</p><p>Ambedkar, on his part, confirmed that he would join the MVA formation in Maharashtra for talks from the next meeting. </p><p>The three leading parties of MVA are Congress, Sharad Pawar-Supriya Sule-led NCP and Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT).</p><p>Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, a two-time Lok Sabha MP and one-term Rajya Sabha MP.</p><p>The MVA, in its letterhead signed by state Congress President Nana Patole, his NCP counterpart Jayant Patil and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, sent a formal letter to Balasaheb, as Ambedkar is popularly known.</p>. <p>“The country is going through a very serious situation. A country with a great democratic tradition is turning to dictatorship,” the joint letter said as it indicted VBA as a political ally. </p><p>“People suspect in 2024 (Lok Sabha polls), if there is a different result in the country (and BJP comes to power again), this will probably be the last election. We know that the Maha Vikas Aghadi was established to change this situation and bring about change in the state and the country,” it added.</p><p>“The induction of VBA will surely strengthen the anti-dictatorship struggle in the country. The Constitution of India is in danger. We have to come together and save the Constitution,” said Raut. </p><p>Ambedkar is very crucial for the MVA. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress-NCP Democratic Front has suffered a dent in votebank because of VBA and Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and defeated them in more than a dozen seats. However, the VBA-AIMIM alliance broke before the 2019 Assembly polls. </p><p>Ambedkar said: “Even though VBA’s state Vice President was not given due respect in the MVA meeting and VBA is not aware nor informed by AICC or by Ramesh Chennithala whether Nana Patole is having any authority to sign any letters for including VBA in MVA alliance, we will join MVA in the next meeting since VBA’s priority is to defeat the BJP-RSS.”</p>