Shetti, Patil hold talks with Ambedkar for 2019 elections
MUMBAI: Yet another crack was seen developing in the Opposition alliance as Swabhimani Paksha chief and member of Parliament (MP) Raju Shetti and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) leader Kapil Patil met Prakash Ambedkar of Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM), which has announced an alliance with All India Majlis-e-ittehadul Musleemin(aimim).
On Saturday, the leaders held preliminary talks about the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Swabhimani Paksha, which holds sway in the state’s farming community, is already a part of the United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress. Both Shetti and Patil had held preliminary talks with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in order to forge a grand alliance and reportedly demanded three seats for the Swabhimani Paksha and two seats for LJD in the Lok Sabha.
While the Congress-ncp were planning to bring at least 10 smaller parties under their umbrella, Ambedkar announced that BBM would instead forge an alliance with the AIMIM. If the Swabhimani Paksha and the state unit of LJD join them, it may pose a hole in the unity in the Opposition.
Shetti explained he wants all parties to come together against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “I agree many parties have to keep their main agenda aside to come together but then defeating the BJP is necessary,” he said.
“Even we want an alliance with Congress but they need to consider our demands for 12 Lok Sabha seats,” said Ambedkar. However, he said the AIMIM alliance was final and he would not ditch it. “Shetti wants one more Lok Sabha seat and hence is adopting such tactics. In the case of Ambedkar, there is no question of us tying up with the AIMIM as it is a communal outfit and allying with it means political suicide,” said a Congress leader on condition of anonymity.