Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Mumbai: The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has launched preparations for the ensuing elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly by holding a two-day meeting in the popular hill station of Lonavala located between Mumbai and Pune.
Ambedkar, the founder of VBA, its state unit President Rekhatai Thakur and Vice President Prof Kisan Chavan addressed the meeting held over the weekend.
All the candidates, who unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls attended the meeting aimed at preparing for Vidhan Sabha elections, which is expected to be held in October.
The VBA analysed the Vidhan Sabha segments based on the Lok Sabha performance of 2019 and 2024 and the 2019 Vidhan Sabha elections and would proceed as per its strengths.
In 2024, Ambedkar floated a Third Front and created dent only in five seats Akola, Beed, Buldhana, Hatkanangle and Mumbai North West.
Barring half a dozen seats, VBA has put up or supported candidates in most of the constituencies.
Ambedkar himself contested from Akola, however, lost to Anup Dhotre of BJP while Dr Abhay Patil of Congress was in second position. Dhotre got 4,57,030 votes while Patil managed 4,16,404 and Ambedkar (2,76,747).
Committed to the Dalit-Ambedkarite-Republican cause, Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, had floated Bhatia Bahujan Mahasangh and later VBA, which included various groups of Dalits, Tribals, Dhangars, Kolis, Agris, Banjaras, Malis, Kaikadis and other communities.