Lok Sabha polls 2019: Prakash Ambedkar to fight elections in Maharashtra independently

New Delhi, Mar 12: Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday declared that he will fight elections in Maharashtra independently. After calling Congress a soft Hindutva party, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Ambedkar has now decided to fight without them.

Ambedkar, who heads the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) on Monday said that the option of him contesting from Solapur is still open.

Confirming at no alliance, Ambedkar told ANI that there will be no alliance between VBA and Congress for coming Lok Sabha elections and VBA will contest on all 48 seats in Maharashtra.

He also said,''VBA announced 22 candidates. Prakash Ambedkar says they'll announce rest 26 candidates by Mar 15.VBA is alliance of Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh, AIMIM & JD(S) in Maharashtra.Ambedkar says they offered a formula to Congress but it didn't accept,so alliance couldn't happen.''

Senior Congress leader and former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has expressed his desire to contest from Solapur. The seat is currently held by Bharatiya Janata Party's Sharad Bansode.

Ambedkar, who has good following among Dalits in the constituency, may give a tough competition to Shinde, who is planning a comeback. In the 2014 polls, Shinde was trounced by Sharad Bansode, who was called the giant killer for defeating the veteran Congressman, who was then the Union home minister.

Ambedkar has been refusing to join Congress-NCP led opposition coalition. He had initially demanded 12 seats, which was refused by the combine, who were ready to part with just two.

Ambedkar, who then gave the Congress-NCP a deadline of February 28, had initially announced that he would contest all 48 seats in the state.