People's Republican Party chief Jogendra Kawade on Monday criticised Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar for mentioning castes of the Lok Sabha poll candidates of his Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA).
Kawade said this was like betraying Dr B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, who always fought against the caste system.
Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of B R Ambedkar, last Friday released a list of 37 Lok Sabha candidates who will contest the upcoming polls under the banner of VBA.
The VBA, a social coalition of Dalits and Muslims jointly formed by Prakash Ambedkar and Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), mentioned the castes of all the candidates who figure in the list.
"Prakash Ambedkar earlier demanded removal of the column to mention castes in school certificates, but he has now advertised the castes of all candidates of VBA and betrayed his grandfather," Kawade told PTI in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district.
He said his party, a splinter faction of the Republican Party of India, was awaiting response from the opposition Congress and NCP over his demand to contest four Lok Sabha seats - Shirdi, Amravati, Ramtek and Ichalkaranji- in the state.
Lok Sabha polls to 48 seats in Maharashtra will be held in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app