RPI-A president Ramdas Athawale wants at least 60 of the 227 seats; he also claims many BSP leaders in Uttar Pradesh are ready to join his party before the polls there
Ramdas Athawale says he wants a fair share in Mumbai and UP, otherwise his party will fight it out on its own. File pic
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Boasting of a huge influence among the city’s Dalit voters, BJP ally and union minister of state Ramdas Athawale has sought at least 60 of 227 seats from the party in a pre-poll pact for the BMC polls. He said his party had the strength to give the BSP a fitting reply in Uttar Pradesh which will go to polls next month.
“I want a fair share in Mumbai and UP, or else we will fight it out alone. Many BSP leaders in UP are ready to join my party and candidates for 200 places have already applied to us,” he said.
In Mumbai, the Republican Party of India-A is undoubtedly a bigger Dalit faction, which had decided to side with the BJP before the 2014 Assembly polls. As a reward, Athawale was first accommodated in the Rajya Sabha and then following his persistent demand, was made a minister of state in the Modi council of ministers.
Appalling it may sound, but Athawale has also demanded a quota for scheduled caste people in the Indian cricket team. The RPI-A president said the best players from his community should be picked for representing the country.
But contrary to his demand that may fuel caste politics in a field of sport where merit alone matters, the minister welcomed the apex court’s verdict of banning seeking of votes in the name of caste and religion.
Addressing a press conference at his party office in Mumbai on Thursday, Athawale advocated the need of reservation in cricket, unmindful of the fact that many Dalits have donned the India cap and performed extremely well.
When asked if he would want a Dalit as captain of the Indian ODI and T20 teams, he winked, and added, “I do not mean that. What I want to say is that the Dalits who play best should be selected.”
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