Shiv Sena (UBT) can ally with VBA for LS polls if MVA fails to seal seat-sharing formula: Ambedkar

Pune: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar on Monday appealed to Shiv Sena (UBT) to ally with the VBA for Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra if Maha Vikas Aghadi members fail to finalise a seat-sharing formula.

He said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party and the VBA can contest 24 seats each in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"The Maha Vikas Aghadi should come up with a seat-sharing formula (for LS polls) now. The Shiv Sena (UBT) should reveal the number of seats it would contest in alliance with Congress and NCP," he told reporters after deposing before the Koregaon Bhima Commission probing the alleged caste violence of January 1, 2018.

"The VBA has already clarified that if sharing of seats doesn't work out among the MVA constituents, they (Shiv Sena-UBT) can ally with us (VBA) and we can contest 24 seats each (in Lok Sabha elections)," he said.

Maharashtra sends 48 members to Lok Sabha.

Interstingly, even though an official announcement on whether the VBA is a part of the opposition INDIA bloc is awaited, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said the Ambedkar-led Aghadi is "very much part" of the opposition alliance in Maharashtra to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.

Ambedkar also claimed that the information regarding advance inputs received by the police and district administration about the January 1, 2018 violence during the bicentennial anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle was not placed before the inquiry panel.

"I have requested the commission to collect this information during my deposition today. The deposition of Devendra Fadnavis, the then chief minister and home minister, is paramount in the inquiry," he said.

Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar is expected to give the order on the disqualification of MLAs from Shiv Sena factions led by chief minister Eknath Shinde and his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray on January 10.

Queried on this, Ambedkar said the Speaker does not come under the purview of the Supreme Court.

"I accept that Narwekar should deliver a decision on this matter, but the assembly speaker doesn't come under the purview of the Supreme Court," he said.

Ambedkar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should provide Rs 1,000 in aid to the poor people to allow them to celebrate "Diwali" on January 22 to mark the consecration of Lord Ram's temple in Ayodhya.