‘It’s Modi vs the plenty in 2024’: Prakash Ambedkar

With Maharashtra all set to vote within the first section of the upcoming Lok Sabha election on April 19, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar is campaigning throughout the State for his celebration. He’s additionally contesting from the Akola constituency situated within the State’s Vidarbha area. In an unique interview, Ambedkar tells Frontline that the 2024 basic election will show that the individuals don’t need Narendra Modi again because the Prime Minister. He claims that the VBA will emerge stronger than earlier than when the outcomes are out on June 4. Excerpts:

We have been maintaining a tally of the conferences between your VBA and the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over a doable alliance in Maharashtra. However that didn’t occur. At the moment, you’re contesting alone throughout Maharashtra. Do you suppose that like 2019, this time too the votes will probably be divided between your celebration and the MVA?

I’ve been assembly many interviewers and seen that they’ve forgotten one essential level. The state of affairs of 2019 and 2024 is completely totally different. Then, the BJP and the Shiv Sena have been collectively, and the Congress and NCP [Nationalist Congress Party] have been collectively. At the moment, the BJP and the Shiv Sena have separated. The Shiv Sena is cut up into two. Equally, the Congress has misplaced a lot of its robust leaders and even the NCP has cut up into two elements.

In such a case, VBA is the one celebration that has not confronted any such cut up or disturbance. We’re the principle opposition celebration in Maharashtra, the place we’re contesting for 40 Lok Sabha seats. No celebration, neither the BJP nor the Congress nor the Shiv Sena, is contesting on so many seats.

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So, you’re saying you’ll be the principal opposition celebration this time?

We would be the largest celebration this time [in Maharashtra] and if not the only largest, the principle opposition. The media is biased in opposition to us. They don’t seem to be prepared to just accept actuality. This time, the battle is between the VBA and the BJP. I’ll meet the media on June 4 with these outcomes.

Within the 2019 Lok Sabha election when the VBA was in alliance with the AIMIM [All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen of Asaduddin Owaisi], you collectively polled 40 lakh votes and the voting share was 7.65 per cent. However inside 4 months, your alliance noticed a decline within the Meeting election the place the voting share was 4.6 per cent. At the moment, you do not need an alliance with the AIMIM. Do you suppose that regardless of this, your vote share will enhance?

Sure. First, about AIMIM: They walked away from an alliance. Second, two days in the past, Manoj Jarange-Patil, a pacesetter of the Maratha [reservation] protest, gave a major assertion. He stated each the alliances—the MVA and the BJP-led NDA—have cheated the Maratha group. He has a maintain on 30 per cent of the voting inhabitants of Maharashtra. We’re his pure ally. So, Marathas are going to vote for us as they’re fed up with each alliances. That is why I’m saying our efficiency will shock all.

We’re seeing your aggressive speeches in opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi the place you’re calling him names. On the similar time, the Prime Minister has given a slogan: “Ab ki Baar, Char Sau Paar” (This time, Over 400). How do you see this? The place does the BJP stands at the moment?

Let me let you know: the BJP isn’t crossing 200. Ensure about that. Persons are strolling away from the PM’s rally [which the] media isn’t exhibiting. This slogan is a part of Modi’s thoughts sport. I want to say to PM Modi that you simply be ready to face Tihar jail, as you’re going out of energy. What you [Modi] have performed, by raiding individuals and all. Not simply Modi, however the judges of the courts would even be going to jail for not performing their duties.

“The sort of candidates Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar have put in opposition to among the BJP candidates and even Eknath Shinde’s candidates, persons are calling them “match-fixers”. Individuals comprehend it.”

What do you suppose will resolve the result of the election?

Electoral bond is a rip-off. Individuals have understood it. China is sitting in Ladakh. The military males getting back from Ladakh are saying it in all places. PM Modi gained’t be capable to cover it from the general public now. Regardless of Pakistan turning into weak, our troopers are dying on the border. I feel these are emotional points.

Additionally, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s husband Parakala Prabhakar has alerted Indians, saying that in the event you give energy to Modi for 5 extra years, you should have Manipur in all places within the nation. Third challenge is the buying and selling group being affected by the GST.

Do you suppose the CAA-NRC can be a problem for this election?

Sure. Muslims have united now. This time, they don’t seem to be voting for Congress. They’ll vote for the celebration which goes to defeat the BJP.

Within the latest survey by The Hindu-CSDS, two severe points have emerged: unemployment and inflation. You suppose these two may also be election points?

Sure. Within the final 10 years, 12.25 crore individuals grew to become unemployed. Most of them are white-collared. In the case of agriculture, farmers are asking for MSP [minimum support price]. However that regulation isn’t coming. Additionally, individuals have began asking questions on whether or not PM Modi is the PM of India or the PM of Gujarat. He’s not performing on fraud by [those from] the Gujarati group.

What in regards to the misuse of [Central] companies? Would that be an election challenge?

Not simply companies, the misuse of presidency equipment in opposition to the non-Gujarati individuals is a very powerful challenge on this election.

Prakash Ambedkar in the course of the INDIA bloc rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on March 17. It was rumoured that Ambedkar’s VBA and the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi would come to an electoral understanding however the conferences in the end didn’t bear fruit.
| Picture Credit score:
EMMANUAL YOGINI

Do you not suppose that Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar will get sympathy on this case? As a result of they’re the individuals who confronted these companies?

No. They don’t seem to be going to get sympathy out of this as a result of they’re shy of attacking the BJP. The truth is, I might say the sort of candidates they’ve put in opposition to among the BJP candidates and even Eknath Shinde’s candidates, persons are calling Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar “match-fixers”. Individuals comprehend it.

Whereas asserting your listing of candidates, you point out the caste together with the title of the candidate. What’s your line of considering behind this?

Mainly, inclusiveness is the coverage. You’ll discover people from smaller OBC communities as our candidates. The Congress and MVA haven’t given [the ticket to] a single Muslim candidate this time in Maharashtra. We’re giving [it to] greater than 5 Muslim candidates. There are 15 OBC candidates. Candidates from the Maratha group are additionally there.

There may be severe criticism about you asserting two candidates: first in Amravati the place the Congress has given the ticket to a Buddhist candidate. Nonetheless, you’re placing up a candidate there.

These are Congress’ narratives. The candidate we have been placing up was a younger woman from the Buddhist group who married a Maratha boy. Each are social staff. We needed to carry new blood into the political scene. However when Anandraj Ambedkar [Prakash’s brother] put up his candidature, we thought the Congress and the NCP would give him assist. So, the VBA instantly withdrew its feminine candidate. However because the Congress isn’t giving assist to Anandraj, we are actually supporting him.

What about Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)? AIMIM’s Imtiaz Jaleel gained in 2019 when he was in an alliance with the VBA. Why are you fielding a candidate in opposition to him?

First, AIMIM has walked away from the alliance. Second, Imtiaz may win the election as a result of the VBA had supported him. There was an unbiased Muslim candidate who polled 50,000 votes. The AIMIM doesn’t have Hindu votes and in Aurangabad, until you’ve Hindu votes, you may’t win the election. So, our core votes plus the votes of the unbiased Muslim candidate from 2019 are sufficient to win this seat. That’s why the VBA has fielded a candidate in Aurangabad.

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You’ve got supported Supriya Sule this time in Baramati. We now have been watching the rivalry between you and Sharad Pawar for many years. However this time you supported Pawar’s daughter.

I’ve not supported Sharad Pawar, I’ve supported his daughter. I don’t carry enmity between households. Sure, between me and Pawar, there’s a political discourse that we don’t get alongside and now we have been opponents for a few years.

About Akola, the place you’re contesting: within the final two elections, the Congress had fielded Muslim candidates right here. That led to the division of votes between the VBA and the Congress. However this time, Congress has given the ticket to a Maratha candidate with robust hyperlinks to the RSS. How do you see it?

I’m comfortably positioned proper now in Akola. Since there isn’t any Muslim candidate, I’m certain the OBCs, whose votes used to go to the BJP in such circumstances, are coming to me this time. Additionally, Muslims are decisively voting for me to defeat the BJP. So, if the state of affairs continues like at the moment, I’m certain I’ll win Akola this time.

Lastly, about the usage of enormous quantities of cash within the election this time: the best way cash is being spent by all events, the place do you see our democracy heading? As a result of such use of cash will shut the doorways of elections for poor and marginalised individuals.

I see this election as a battle between Modi and the plenty. That use of cash is not going to work this time. They don’t need Modi again as PM. I might say that the MVA made a mistake by not recognising the temper of the individuals. Individuals have made up their minds. The VBA has understood it. That’s why individuals who don’t need Modi will vote for the VBA this time.