29 March,2024 04:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ramdas Athawale on Friday met Devendra Fadnavis. Pic/X
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Friday met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and complained about his party being ignored in seat sharing talks for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, reported the PTI.
Ramdas Athawale told PTI that his Republican Party of India (RPI) (A) was not allotted a single Lok Sabha seat in the state and that he had apprised Devendra Fadnavis he was keen on Shirdi.
"But Devendra Fadnavis said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde wanted Shirdi since sitting MP Sadashiv Lokhande is from the latter's Shiv Sena," said Ramdas Athawale, who had contested unsuccessfully from the seat in 2009, as per the PTI.
Ramdas Athawale said that he had sought a cabinet berth in the PM Narendra Modi government post the Lok Sabha polls and that he renominated to the Rajya Sabha when his term ends in 2026, the news agency reported on Friday.
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He said RPI(A) must be given seven to eight seats in the Assembly polls in Maharashtra later this year, a ministerial berth in the state government, representation in the legislative council, as well as posts in two state owned corporations.
Devendra Fadnavis has said that he would discuss these demands with the BJP leadership and ensure it is done, Ramdas Athawale claimed, according to the PTI.
"BJP leader Pravin Darekar has been appointed as pointsman to address issues concerning the RPI(A) in the alliance," the Union minister said.
Meanwhile, Ramdas Athawale's Republican Party of India (A) (RPI-A) had on Wednesday released its second list of seven candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 in Maharashtra.
The party fielded Dadasaheb Ovhal from Satara, Mahadev Howal from Sangli, Santosh Bichkule from Madha, Ravikant Bansode from Solapur (SC), Sachin Kharat from Baramati, Kailash Jogdand from Maval and Ashok Jagtap from Pune.
"National President of Republican Party of India (A) Deepakbhau Nikalje approved the names for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024," the party said in a statement.
Ramdas Athawale encouraged the BJP to change its position on Shirdi's Lok Sabha seat, stating that the RPI(A) may win it in upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
(with PTI inputs)
