RPI (A) Presses for Seat Inclusion in Civic Polls

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale urges the BJP to allocate seats for his Republican Party of India (A) in the upcoming civic elections. Despite being a long-standing ally, RPI (A) is often excluded from the Mahayuti alliance. Athawale emphasizes their importance and seeks discussions with key BJP leaders.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has called on the Bharatiya Janata Party to allocate seats for his Republican Party of India (A) in the upcoming civic elections. Athawale emphasized that RPI (A), a traditional ally of the BJP, deserves inclusion in the Mahayuti alliance's seat-sharing discussions.

Athawale expressed disappointment at the alliance primarily being presented as a coalition of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, excluding RPI (A). He stated that if seats are not shared with RPI (A), they would field their candidates independently.

The Union Minister plans to address the matter with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP president Ravindra Chavan, emphasizing the critical role RPI (A) plays in the success of BJP candidates. He also noted the exclusion of RPI (A) leaders from Mahayuti meetings and stressed the need for their inclusion in discussions.

(With inputs from agencies.)