VBA going to contest 90 seats in BMC polls

Vanchit Bahujan Agadi (VBA), led by Prakash Ambedkar, plans to contest 80-90 seats in the upcoming 2022 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.  The VBA plans to contest seats with a significant number of Dalit and Muslim population.  With a budget of around Rs 39,000 crore, the BMC election is a proud one and has a lot of influence on political parties.  "We have built a combination of Dalit, OBC (Other Backward Classes), Muslim and others vote bank," said VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar. 

As the Congress is very weak, there is no alternative for Muslims at present and they see VBA as their best choice,”Ambedkarsaid.VBA plans to compete in Chembur, Govandi, Kurla, Bhandappu, Vile Parle, Borivali, Dadar, Kandivali and Jogeshwari.  “Our workers have done well at the grassroots level and we plan to contest at least 80-90 seats in the BMC elections.  We are confident about of winning at least 40 seats,”he added. He said Ambedkar had rejected any truck with the BJP but was ready for an alliance with the Congress, but on decent terms.  Political experts say Ambedkar is gaining respect among the Dalit people but is unlikely to translate into votes.  "The BMC elections are being held on a strong ground, not on caste integration," said political commentator Surendra Jondhale. 

“VBA does not have a strong organizational network and does not have a consistent collection from its end.  In the last one year, they have not raised any issues related to Dalits, OBCs and Muslims affected by the covid-19 lockdown,”he added. Ambedkar, who had been marginalized for years following the January 1, 2018 incident in which Dalits were attacked in Bhima-Koregaon, was shot dead.  Led by Ambedkar, the state-wide bandh was declared a success.  In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the VBA, in alliance with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIIM), polled 41.08 lakh (7.63%) votes in the state. 

When AIMM won the Rangabad Lok Sabha seat, the votes won by the VBA candidates defeated two former chief ministers, Ashok Chavan and Sushil kumar Shinde, in Nanded and Solapur, respectively. But in the Assembly elections months later, Ambedkar broke the alliance with the AIIMS.  The VBA said it would give 144 of the 288 seats to the Congress.  The Congress needs to include even the NCP for about 144 seats.  In the final analysis, the VBA was wiped out for failing to win a seat. 

The Congress said it was unfortunate that Ambedkar still did not learn his lesson.  “Ambedkar's aim is only to indirectly help the Bharthiya Janatha Party, which is clear as he plans to contest such seats as we are strong.  However, voters saw through his game plan that he would not vote for the VBA.  Even last time, Ambedkar put forward impossible conditions for the alliance as no alliance was interested.  It is unfortunate that the VBA has not learned its lessons despite losing the last assembly elections,”said Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.