Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar has staked his claim on the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Lok Sabha seat during a press conference in the city on Thursday, although he did not declare any candidate.
"We have won this (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) seat earlier. How can we leave it for some other party?" he asked.
Before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the VBA and Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had formed an alliance, and AIMIM's Imtiaz Jaleel won the election.
Discussing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Ambedkar stated that he would wait for an alliance until the last date of nomination for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
"There are differences among MVA, which comprises Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar)," he claimed.
According to Ambedkar, there is a tussle between the Congress and NCP over five seats. Similarly, Sena (UBT) and Congress have yet to agree on 10 seats.
"Whether the MVA will remain intact is a question. But we will wait for an alliance with MVA until the last day of nomination for Lok Sabha polls," he said.
"At the same time, we have the option of contesting all 48 seats in the state. If MVA breaks down, then we are open to negotiating with the party that will be ready to join hands with us," he added.
Ambedkar also addressed Maratha activist Manoj Jarange and claimed that "planning is being made to destroy his existence." "He will be defamed by making false allegations which will hamper his public reputation. However, people should not believe rumours," Ambedkar appealed. "According to his sources, Jarange will be defamed through a fake lewd video in the future. His supporters should remain alert," Ambedkar added.
