MH-VBA-MANE

Laxman Mane seeks Prakash Ambedkar's resignation as VBA leader
    Pune, Jul 4 (PTI) Laxman Mane, writer and senior
member of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), Thursday sought
resignation of VBA head Prakash Ambedkar, alleging that he
allowed "elements from RSS-BJP" into the party.
    Mane said he had submitted his own resignation to the
party, but Ambedkar too should step down as president, taking
moral responsibility for inducting "elements from the RSS
and BJP" and giving them key positions.
    "My personal relations with Ambedkar are cordialbut
my objection is to his style of functioning," he said.
    The party was formed on the basis of Dr Babasaheb
Ambedkar's ideology, but people who had RSS background were
given key posts like that of general secretary, Mane said,
naming one office-bearer.
    VBA members no longer have any faith in Ambedkar and
he should resign, Mane said, adding, "if he does not resign, I
will form my own party".
    He also claimed that contesting all 48 seats in
Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections was a mistake.
    About the allegation that VBA was a `B team' of the
BJP, Mane said, "If the party is acting like a B team, people
will call us a B team, as some other party benefited because
of the VBA in the elections."
    Reacting to Mane's allegations, Ambedkar said Mane was
one of the key leaders who helped form the party, and "he is
still our senior leader".
    While the VBA could win only one seat in the state, in
several other seats its candidates bagged more votes than
victory margins of winning BJP or Shiv Sena candidates,
possibly eating into Congress or NCP's votes. It polled 41
lakh votes across Maharashtra. PTI SPK
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from a PTI feed.)