Sena (UBT), VBA chiefs likely to meet again today

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar are likely to meet in a hotel in central Mumbai on Monday to discuss the future course of action for their parties. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Subhash Desai is also likely to attend the meeting.

Two weeks ago, the two leaders had shared stage or re-launch of a website: prabodhankar.com on ‘Prabodhankar’ Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, the social reformer and journalist, who was a doyen of the nonbrahmin movement in Maharashtra.

Thackeray, whose party has suffered a major split, is now looking for new alliances to win the civic body polls. Thackeray had said he wished that he and like-minded parties like VBA joined hands.

When asked about the Monday meeting, Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant and MLC Manisha Kayande said that they have no idea about the meeting. Ambedkar and Desai did not answer calls for comments.

Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir said, “When two leaders meet, they are bound to discuss social and political issues.’’ However, he did not confirm or deny the meeting.

Earlier, Thackeray had appealed to the VBA to come together and mobilise the people against the BJP.

Ambedkar had floated the VBA to unite various socially backward communities and bagged sizable votes in 2019 elections.

In the relaunch programme, Thackeray had said that he and Ambedkar shared the stage for the first time. Since then, leaders from both sides have been working on an alliance. Last week, VBA state leader Rekha Thakur had said that an alliance with Sena could be on cards. Monday’s meeting also assumes significance in that context.