Neglected despite being BJP ally for 12 years, says RPI(A) chief Ramdas Athawale

Pune: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said ally BJP should give his Republican Party of India (A) at least two Lok Sabha seats to contest.

Athawale said he had sought Shirdi and Solapur seats in Maharashtra in February.

"But, unfortunately, the name of RPI(A) is nowhere to be seen in the seat sharing process. New partners are being given preference, while my party, which has been an ally of BJP for 12 years, is neglected," he claimed.

"The mahayuti (ruling alliance) was formed after RPI supported BJP-Shiv Sena in the 2012 BMC elections. The Mahayuti did not get formed because Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar joined. There is a complaint among RPI workers that the party is not getting respect. They expressed it in today's meeting here," he added.

If the RPI(A) is not given two seats, then deliberations should take place on what else they (BJP) are going to offer, Athawale said, adding he would meet Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to convey sentiments of party workers.

"We will demand that RPI should get one cabinet rank position in the Centre. In the state they should give us one cabinet post, chairman positions in a couple of federations, and other positions. We will demand at least one MLC position and at least 10 seats in the state elections," Athawale said.

"The RPI is strongly standing with PM Narendra Modi. However, party workers believe RPI is being insulted and I have been asked to take an appropriate decision. The RPI is not taken into confidence, the party is not being summoned for any meeting, and there is no discussion with the party over seat-sharing," he claimed.

The BJP must take a decision on Shirdi Lok Sabha as the RPI can win it, he claimed, adding that his photographs were not being used on alliance posters alongside that of Fadnavis, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP's Ajit Pawar.