In a notable development, Prakash Ambedkar, the leader of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), met with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar over a casual cup of coffee, potentially rekindling the possibility of him joining the Opposition’s I.N.D.I.A. front. This tête-à-tête took place at the Y B Chavan Centre during a program commemorating the centenary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s ‘The Problem of the Rupee.’
Ambedkar clarified to reporters that the meeting was brief and devoid of any political discussion, emphasizing that it was simply an exchange over coffee. However, the Congress has seen this as a positive sign and a promising step toward the VBA’s inclusion in the I.N.D.I.A. front. Ashok Chavan, a member of the Congress Working Committee and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, voiced his personal wish for the VBA and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to collaborate, viewing the meeting between Ambedkar and Pawar as a positive overture to dialogue.
For some time, the VBA has expressed its concerns about being left out of alliance discussions and not being invited to the third meeting of the I.N.D.I.A. front, with the Congress and NCP previously remaining silent on these claims. This meeting now hints at potential changes in the political landscape.
