'Prakash Ambedkar will be part of Cong-led alliance in Maha'

Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar would be part of the the Congress-led alliance for the next year's Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Maharashtra, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan announced Wednesday.

He also clarified that the Congress won't share dais with Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) which has tied up with the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) of Ambedkar, grandson of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar, for future polls.

"Bhartiya Republic Party Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar would be part of the Congress-led alliance for Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Maharashtra, but AIMIM would not share dais with our alliance," the former chief minister told reporters in Kolhapur in western Maharashtra.

Ambedkar has been insisting on joining hands with the Congress provided it snaps ties with the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

On the other hand, a section of Congress is of the view to prepare itself for all the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

When asked about it, Chavan said, "There are some 5-6 seats in state where both parties (Congress and NCP) are currently stuck. The seat-sharing formula for rest of the seats is already finalised".

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Bhartiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena walked away with maximum number of seats in Maharashtra.