The Republican Party of India Athawale [RPI (A)] has not been allotted a single Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra, said its president and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Friday.
The RPI(A) is an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Mr. Athawale said he met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday and put forward his grievances about his party being ignored in the seat-sharing arrangement.
“I have informed Mr. Fadnavis that I am interested in Shirdi, but he said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde wants Shirdi since sitting MP Sadashiv Lokhande is from his Shiv Sena party. I emphasised thatthe RPI(A) must be given seven to eight seats in the [next] Assembly polls, including a ministerial post in the State, representation in the Legislative Council, and seats in two State-owned corporations. Mr. Fadnavis has assured me that he would take up the matter seriously and discuss our demands and will ensure that they are met.”
Mr. Athawale also said that this problem would not have come up had multiple alliances not happened.