New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has taken a sharp aim at opposition leaders, including Sharad Pawar, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, and other INDIA bloc leaders. In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Athawale slammed the opposition for spreading what he called “false narratives” to mislead the public and also shared key details of his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Responding to Sharad Pawar’s controversial statement — wherein the former Union Minister claimed that two individuals approached him during the Maharashtra elections and assured him of winning 160 seats — Athawale said: “If someone is making such a claim, they could be trying to blackmail. Elections are a democratic process, and such statements raise doubts about integrity.”

Addressing the ongoing controversy around EVMs, Athawale acknowledged the possibility of technical issues in some machines but dismissed broader allegations: “There might be glitches in a few EVMs, but it’s incorrect to say all machines are faulty. When the NDA won fewer seats and the INDIA bloc won more, we did not question the system. We respected the results.”

Athawale accused Rahul Gandhi of misleading the electorate during the Lok Sabha elections by falsely claiming that the Constitution would be changed under the BJP government: “Rahul Gandhi and his allies spread the false narrative that Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution would be scrapped. There is no truth to this. The public now sees through these lies.”

Revealing details of his meeting with PM Modi, Ramdas Athawale said they discussed the success of Operation Sindoor, a recent counter-terror operation. “Our armed forces destroyed terrorist hideouts without any civilian casualties. That is commendable.”

He also raised concerns about seat-sharing in Maharashtra, alleging that the BJP’s state unit is not treating RPI fairly within the Mahayuti (grand alliance).

“I told the Prime Minister that RPI is being sidelined in seat distribution. We’re being denied seats in Zilla Parishads, local body elections, and even one ministerial and one MLC post that we are demanding. PM Modi discussed with me about our party’s performance, and I believe Devendra Fadnavis will do justice and fulfil our demands.”

Taking another swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Athawale said: “Rahul Gandhi avoids approaching the Election Commission and prefers misleading people through public statements. The Commission has already stated that if there are any mistakes, they’re open to correction. If Rahul has proof of bogus voting, he should submit it, not just create drama.”

Speaking on the BJP-led NDA’s performance, Athawale admitted losses in the Lok Sabha polls but emphasised their comeback in later elections: “Yes, we suffered losses in the general elections, but BJP and NDA have bounced back in Haryana, Delhi, and Maharashtra. In Maharashtra alone, we won 237 seats. The public continues to trust us.”

–IANS

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