Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief and Union minister Ramdas Athawale has demanded at least 10 seats from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena alliance for his party in the Assembly elections.
The total share for the splinter groups in the BJP-Sena alliance has been locked at 18. The RPI(A) demanding a bigger share could derail the talks further, according to BJP leaders.
The Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment said his party will not contest elections on a BJP symbol, while reiterating that reservation of Dalits and OBCs will not be reduced because of the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I do not think there is any need to review reservation. People who should get reservation will surely get it,” Mr. Athawale said in Mumbai. The RPI(A) had only contested eight seats in the State in 2014.
The seats the party is demanding are to be picked from: Kej, Udgir, Deglur, Gangakhed (in Marathwada), Bhandara, Chandrapur, Umerkhed, Nagpur North, Pandharvada, Aarni, Mehekar, Badnera (in Vidarbha), Pimpri, Pune Cantonment, Malsish, Mohol, Phaltan (in western Maharashtra), Bhusawal, Chalisgaon, Devalal, Shrirampur (in north Maharashtra), Chembur, Mankhrud Shivajinagar, Dharavi, Kurla, Versova, Chandivili, Ambernath, Ulashnagar and Karjat Khalapur (in Mumbai-Konkan).
In 2014, the RPI(A) had contested the Ambernath, Chembur, Pimpri, Deglur, Mehekar, Vikhroli, Shivaji Nagar and Deolali seats. Mr. Athawale said he was hopeful the elections will be a landslide for the alliance. “The current economic situation is challenging, but I am hopeful the measures taken by the Central government would see India progress in a short time,” he said.
