Athawale will contest as NDA's candidate if BJP, Shiv Sena fails to form alliance

Union minister Ramdas Athawale said Wednesday that if there is no alliance between the BJP and Shiv Sena, he would be the NDA's candidate from the Mumbai South Central constituency. At present Shiv Sena's Rahul Shewale represents this seat. Athawale, leader of the Republican Party of India (RPI(A)), was speaking to reporters in suburban Chembur.

"The RPI (A) and BJP have already decided to contest Lok Sabha elections jointly. If the BJP and Sena could not form an alliance, I am going to be NDA's candidate from south-central," he said. "I have decided to contest from this constituency. If BJP and Sena form an alliance, then I will appeal to (Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray to leave the south-central to the RPI (A). If there is no alliance, then I do not think the BJP will have any issue supporting my candidature from there," he said.