Lok Sabha elections 2024: AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi declares support for VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar in Akola

Asaduddin Owaisi. File Pic

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has declared his party's support for Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections 2024 from Akola seat in Maharashtra, reported news agency PTI.

Notably, the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and VBA tied up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but the alliance broke during the Maharashtra assembly elections held later that year.

"We believe the leadership of Dalits should come up. I appeal to the AIMIM team from Akola to vote for Prakash Ambedkar," Owaisi said on Tuesday, reported PTI.

Prakash Ambedkar is the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar.

The AIMIM will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 from Pune, Owaisi said and declared the candidature of Anis Sundke.

Owaisi also tried to reach out to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, saying, "A person with a thin physique has shaken the state government. I was expecting that Jarange would form a political party. Because justice will be done only after forming a political party and winning elections", reported PTI.

Owaisi alleged that all parties are ganged up against AIMIM's Aurangabad Lok Sabha member Imtiaz Jaleel in the elections.

"Two Shiv Senas, two NCPs, BJP and half Congress have come together. People should ask them about their stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR)," he added, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked political parties to furnish details of aircraft and helicopters being used for campaigning, including their origin and destination and details of people ferried in them.

A letter by Tejas Samel, deputy election officer of Mumbai Suburban district, dated April 12, said such information has to be furnished three days before the journey to the district election office, but that duration has now been reduced to 24 hours, reported PTI.

"We are sending a revised letter on April 17. Instead of three days, they have to inform us 24 hours in advance," Samel told PTI on Tuesday night.

The details should also include the make of the aircraft/helicopter and people travelling in them.

The letter said this information has to be furnished under the Model Code of Conduct in force for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, which has to be sent to the ECI, reported PTI.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 in Maharashtra, which has 48 seats, will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20.

(With inputs from PTI)