Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, on Monday said that Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) will contest on all 48 seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
This comes after VBA, which is an alliance of Prakash's Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh, Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM and Janata Dal(S) in Maharashtra, failed to forge an alliance with the Congress party. Prakash Ambedkar is the leader of VBA.
Prakash confirmed to ANI that VBA will soon announce 26 candidates by March 15. It had earlier announced 22 candidates of the 48 constituencies in Maharashtra.
On the issue of the unsuccessful attempt to forge an alliance with the Congress in the state, Prakash said that VBA had offered a formula to Congress but the party turned it down and the negotiations fell through.
The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for the 17th Lok Sabha election, which will be held in seven phases, beginning April 11. The final phase of voting will take place on May 19. The counting of votes will be done on May 23.