Mumbai, June 5 (IANS) Union Minister and Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athawale expressed disappointment with the BJP-led Mahayuti in Maharashtra, ruing that his party workers are not getting the opportunities that they deserve in the state, and that he was not sure whether his party is still a part of the ruling alliance or not.

In an interaction with IANS, Athawale said: “In Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam, whichever parties are in coalition with the BJP, they are allocated seats as well as provided berths in the Cabinet.”

While acknowledging that he has been allocated a Ministry in the Union Cabinet and also got a Rajya Sabha seat for the third time, Athawale said: “I have a feeling that the party workers, because of whom I could get this Ministry portfolio and Rajya Sabha seat, are not getting anything in Maharashtra.”

He noted that it is because of the BJP that the RPI is with the NDA at the Centre and with the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra.

“My Union Ministry portfolio reflects that my party is a part of the NDA, but whether it is also a part of the Mahayuti or not is not clear. RPI’s name is not mentioned anywhere. For representation in Maharashtra, we should have got a seat in the MLC or a Ministry,” he said.

The Union Minister added: “Forget about the Ministry, but Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised to allocate a seat for the RPI in the MLC. We should get one of the MLC seats. Also, we should get two ‘Mahamandal Chairperson’ positions and 40-50 members in it, so that we can give opportunities to our party workers in all districts.”

“We should also get representation in DPDC, Zilla, and Taluka Committees. There are several committees in Mumbai, like those under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Therefore, it is our demand that at least one member of RPI should be given an opportunity in all these,” he said.

Athawale expressed confidence that Fadnavis will fulfil his promise of allocating one MLC seat for the RPI.

“We have sought time to meet Devendra Fadnavis,” he said.

The Union Minister maintained that he has cordial relations with the Maharashtra CM. “But what the RPI deserves, it is not getting it,” he underlined.

“The way BJP brought several of its Rajya Sabha members into the Lok Sabha, I too wanted to contest from Shirdi, where I was previously defeated while my party was in an alliance with the Congress. I was confident of winning from there,” Athawale said while mentioning that his demand was not met at the time of the Lok Sabha polls.

“During the Assembly polls also, RPI was not allocated any seat, and neither in the BMC polls,” he stated.

He further reiterated: “RPI workers should be given a chance in the committees formed under local bodies.”

–IANS

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