BBM leader denies getting Cong proposal

Mumbai: Despite talks of including prominent Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar into the mega alliance of Opposition parties for upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he has refused having received any concrete proposal.

“The Congress is showing interest in including me in their alliance for the Lok Sabha polls. But there has not been any such concrete proposal so far,” he said.

Mr Ambedkar's Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) has forged an alliance with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) to contest the Parlia-mentary and Assembly polls under the banner of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). However, Congress has demanded that the Dalit leader should break his ties with the AIMIM if he wants to join the Opposition alliance.

But Mr Ambedkar said that the Congress should make its position clear before imposing any conditions. “In the past, Congress has opposed me by fielding their candidates against me in elections. There are instances where the Congress has an understanding with the BJP, as in the case of the Udgir municipal council. So, they should clear their stand on this issue,” he added.