'Modi is not assuring the nation that if he gets back to power in 2024 and remains in power till 2029, he will not change the Constitution.'
Prakash Ambedkar, Dr B R Ambedkar's grandson and president of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, has decided to go alone in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra. In an interview with Business Standard's Shreyas Ubgade in Akola, the three-time member of Parliament claims that Maha Vikas Aghadi never had the goal of defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party and has put up "compromise: candidates in many seats.
Depending on who wins or loses, how do you see the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the larger context?
Realising that there are bigger issues at play, people have awakened.
This is the greatest strength of Indian democracy. In times of crisis, the voter takes a stand and understands the stand he is taking.
Given that the common aim was to defeat the BJP-led alliance, why did talks with the MVA fail?
The MVA did not have the goal of defeating the BJP. They wanted to save their own skins from inquiries. Therefore, in many places, it is a compromise candidate.
In Kalyan, Shiv Sena (UBT) has done it. Buldhana is the same. The Congress has done it on three seats: Nanded, Ramtek, and Bhandara-Gondia.
I can point this out in many places. They wanted to block the VBA by offering two seats so that they could settle with the BJP and save their skin from inquiries.
That seems to be the primary intention of shutting the doors on us.
You have said that the MVA has made the term 'match-fixing' a reality in Maharashtra.
Yes, it is match-fixing. Wherever compromise candidates have been put up, it is match-fixing.
Now that you are not part of the MVA, why have you decided to support the NCP (SP) and Congress in a select few seats like Baramati, Kolhapur and Nagpur?
Doesn't this send mixed signals to your voters?
We supported the NCP (SP) because a senior leader like Jayant Patil requested that we not put up a candidate in Baramati.
For Nagpur, there were hints from the Congress that we should not field our candidate.
We believe in Shahu Maharaj's philosophy, so we support the family (Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) in Kolhapur.
This doesn't send mixed signals. We have announced candidates in the rest of the constituencies.
Is there any scope left for any reconciliation with the MVA after the polls?
After polls, anything is possible. You don't make permanent enemies in politics. They are temporary enemies.
You won the Akola seat in 1998 and 1999. Why couldn't you repeat that performance thereafter?
In this constituency, there has been an understanding between the BJP and Congress.
My first election was in 1984 after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, and I lost it by a small margin.
In that election, the BJP transferred its votes to the Congress to defeat me.
The Congress returned the favour in the next election (which the BJP won).
When they found that it was becoming impossible to restrain me, they started disturbing my Muslim support by putting up Muslim candidates.
Has politics in Maharashtra entered the 'post-ideology' era?
This is similar to what we had in 1967 of 'syndicate-indicate'.
After the split in the Congress, Indira Gandhi won the 1971 election and survived, while S Nijalingappa lost.
So, here, you have to wait and see if Eknath Shinde wins or Uddhav Thackeray wins, whether Ajit Pawar wins or Sharad Pawar wins.
Whoever wins will survive. Whoever loses will perish.
Would the Maratha quota stir impact poll outcomes?
In 2024, we will garner more other backward class votes than last time.
That is where we will be limiting the BJP. Marathas by themselves are not a force (in Vidarbha).
If Kunbis were to join them, they would become a force.
Earlier, in Parliament, they used to have Kunbi candidates, and in the assembly, they would have Maratha candidates.
The equation has now changed, where you have Marathas in both Parliament and the assembly.
Therefore, the Kunbis have a feeling that they have been left out. So, they are moving to different parties. They are coming to us as well.
Kunbis are classified as OBCs, and Marathas are not classified as OBCs. There are no inter-caste marriages between Kunbis and Marathas (in Akola). Kunbis are moving away.
The Maratha presence is generally dominant. But this time, it is diluted.
Over the years, some OBC and Hindu scheduled caste communities have voted for the BJP in Maharashtra and across India.
Do you see them backing the BJP this time around as well?
I don't think so. Nobody can be fooled by them (the BJP) when they say they will do away with reservations...that they will do away with the protection given to the scheduled castes.
It depends on how much representation you are providing. In UP, if you rely on Yadavs only, other OBCs move towards the BJP.
Every state has a different combination. In Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav has hinted at adjusting with the non-dominant OBCs and extremely backwards.
If he does that, he's in the driver's seat. In Maharashtra, we are better off because we have made these adjustments.
Recently, Prime Minister Modi said even Babasaheb Ambedkar cannot change this Constitution.
He is playing with words and wants to hide his and the RSS' real intentions. The question is not about Dr Ambedkar, but whether Modi will change the Constitution.
It's a jibe which he has played by pushing it on Babasaheb. But is Modi assuring the nation that he won't change from 2024 to 2029?
Without committing himself, he is putting Dr Ambedkar in the picture. Modi has never said that he will not change the Constitution.
He is saying that Dr Ambedkar cannot change the Constitution. It's an inference that he is asking people to draw.
However, Modi is not assuring the nation that if he gets back to power in 2024 and remains in power till 2029, he will not change the Constitution. That assurance is missing.
What future do you see for Ambedkarite and Bahujan politics in Maharashtra and India?
It has a bright future. The Savarna parties are becoming unaccommodating, day-by-day. Due to this, others will be pushed towards the Ambedkarite forces.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
