Mumbai: Republican Sena’s national president Anandraj Ambedkar met Dy CM Eknath Shinde and extended full cooperation to the Shiv Sena in the upcoming BMC election. “There was also a positive discussion this time regarding providing appropriate representation to the Republican Sena,” Shinde said. Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Anandraj Ambedkar’s Republican Sena announced their alliance ahead of the BMC polls in July. Anandraj is B R Ambedkar’s grandson and Prakash Ambedkar’s brother, who heads the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA). The VBA has been in talks with the Congress for an alliance in the BMC, but so far, no decision has been made.Political analysts said Shinde is looking to woo a section of Dalit votes to counter Marathi voter polarisation in case the Thackeray cousins unite. Analysts said Shinde is making an attempt to be relevant in the Mahayuti by taking on board Anandraj Ambedkar.Earlier, Prakash Ambedkar tried to form an alliance with Uddhav Thackeray in 2023, but that alliance did not materialise, and Shiv Sena (UBT) went with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls.
