Confusion in Maha's Amravati LS seat as Ambedkar brothers bicker in letter war

Quaid Najmi

Amravati (Maharashtra), April 5 (IANS) A letter-war has erupted between Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Y. Ambedkar and his younger sibling Republican Sena chief Anandraj Y. Ambedkar over the Amravati (SC) Lok Sabha constituency, creating uncertainty as to which party will contest the reserved seat. 

The ‘tu tu-main main’ style of bickering has raised a question mark -- and eyebrows -- on the entry of the so-called ‘third factor’ in Amravati (SC) seat which is being hotly contested by actress-turned-politician, the sitting MP Navneet Kaur-Rana on a MahaYuti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi-INDIA bloc’s Congress MLA Balwant B. Wankhade.

The Republican Sena President Anandraj Ambedkar abruptly jumped into the fray and filed his nomination three days ago, irking the VBA.

Suddenly, on Thursday Anandraj Ambedkar had a change of heart and announced he was withdrawing in favour of Prakash Ambedkar’s VBA to avoid the opposition vote-split.

In a statement, he revealed how he had sought the support of VBA which has a common agenda with the Republican Sena of fighting the BJP-RSS ideology and the alleged moves by the current government to change the Constitution by aiming for 400-plus LS seats.

However, since the VBA did not respond to his friendly overtures, he decided to contest solo in Amravati (SC), against the VBA’s nominee Prajakta T.Pillewan and the other candidates.

Hours after Anandraj Ambedkar’s decision to contest and withdraw from the race, the VBA state President Rekha Thakur issued a statement extending its support to him and asked him not to withdraw his candidature.

The present situation has turned embarrassing for both groups -- while Anandraj Ambedkar claims he has withdrawn his nomination papers, the VBA’s nominee Prajakta T. Pillewan did not file her nomination forms before the last date (April 4).

“Since we decided to support the Republican Sena, our candidate did not file the nominations. The ball is now in the court of Anandraj Ambedkar so he has to decide,” VBA vice-president Siddharth Mokle told IANS.

“There’s still no decision whether I shall contest this seat or not… My party will decide what’s to be done,” Anandraj Ambedkar said to IANS.

In another letter, the VBA and Republican Sena have pointed accusing fingers at each other for the scenario arising out of a purported miscommunication between the Ambedkar siblings.

The present status is two dedicated Dalit parties led by the descendants of the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar may be left out of the polls in the parliamentary constituency reserved for Dalits, though the picture could clear by Monday.

However, the BJP’s headaches are still not over as a ruling MahaYuti ally, the Prahar Janshakti Party (PHP) chief Omprakash B. Kadu, alias Bachhu Kadu has publicly vowed to defeat Kaur-Rana at all costs and is campaigning furiously against her.

On her part, Kaur-Rana has openly appealed to all the parties and groups opposed to her to sink their differences and support her candidature to strengthen the hands of PM Narendra Modi for a third term.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: [email protected])