Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 21 : The Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) has released its first list of candidates, which includes 11 names, for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections.
Announcing the first candidate list, VBA National President Prakash Ambedkar said, "Staying true to our sacred ideology, we have given representation to the deprived, Bahujan groups to gain true representation and political power, breaking the hegemony of families of certain castes."
The party has named candidates from different social communities, which have been socially and politically excluded by the mainstream parties and their successive governments.
Transgender rights activist Shamibha Patil has been named the candidate for the Raver seat, and Kisan Chavan, who belongs to the Pardhi community, has been named from Shevgaon.
"This is historic. A transgender has been given candidature, a criteria which the ruling classes like to call "electability", much like their idea of "merit", said Disha Pinki Sheikh, a transgender, who is a Spokesperson of the party.
Prakash Ambedkar also announced two candidates from VBA's alliance partners -- Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) and Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP). Anil Jadhav (BAP) will be the candidate from 10 - Chopda (ST) and Harish Uike (GGP) will be the candidate from 59 - Ramtek.
In addition to two Buddhists, representatives from the deprived caste groups such as Dhivar, Lohar, and Waddar have also been on the first list.
Two women candidates -- Savita Mundhe from Sindkhed Raja and Megha Kiran Dongare from Washim, and a Muslim -- Farooq Ahmad from Nanded South, have been announced as well.
It is important to remember that neither the Maha Vikas Aghadi nor the Mahayuti had named a single Muslim candidate in both the Lok Sabha and the recently concluded Maharashtra MLC elections.
Additionally, Nilesh T Vishwakarma (Lohar) has been named from Dhamangaon Railway, Vinay Bhange (Buddhist) from Nagpur South West, Dr. Avinash Nanhe (Dhivar) from Sakoli, Shiva Narangle (Lingayat) from Loha, Vikas Raosaheb Dandge (Maratha) from Aurangabad East and Sangram Krishna Mane (Waddar) has been named from Khanapur.
"In the coming days, more names will be announced. We are in touch with very prominent political parties and soon more parties will join our alliance", said Prakash Ambedkar.
"After failing to address the riots between OBC-Maratha, mainstream parties have resorted to the old and tested method of Hindu-Muslim divide. The silence of the mainstream parties should be questioned," he added.
Maharashtra is likely to go to the polls later this year.