Give Prakash Ambedkar seats as per his stature: Owaisi tells Cong, NCP

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said he does not want a single seat in the proposed alliance for Maharashtra if his "elder brother" Prakash Ambedkar is given seats according to his stature.

The statement comes after the Congress, who has allied with the NCP for the Lok Sabha polls, reportedly said they would approach Ambedkar in order to stitch a pre-poll alliance, rather than the AIMIM, an ally of Ambedkar's Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM).

While addressing a gathering here, Owaisi remarked, "You say that you can talk to Prakash Ambedkar but not with MIM, with all seriousness and responsibility I want to tell Congress, NCP's Sharad Pawar that you talk to my elder brother Balasaheb Ambedkar and you give him seat as per his stature. If you do so then I don't want a single seat. Tell me Ashok Rao do you take this offer?"

Last month, talks had been reportedly initiated by the Congress with smaller parties in Maharashtra, including the BBM, on forging an alliance.

However, Ambedkar reportedly stated that he would only ally with the Congress if it was ready to accommodate AIMIM.

There are 48 Lok Sabha seats at stake in Maharashtra out of a total of 543 seats.