Union minister Ramdas Athawale expressed his disappointment Tuesday regarding his party RPI(A)’s exclusion from the Mahayuti seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, calling it a “betrayal of trust.” Despite this, Athawale stated his party will contest 38 seats and continue to support the BJP and Shiv Sena in other constituencies.
RPI(A) to Contest Independently After Seat-Sharing Dispute
Athawale voiced his concerns on X, stating that the alliance has been supported with “complete sincerity and firmness” since its formation. He released a candidate list, emphasizing the importance of representation for the Ambedkarite community in governance.
The BJP had proposed just 7 seats to RPI(A) late Monday night, a proposal Athawale deemed unacceptable. He explained that fielding candidates in new locations at the last minute was impractical. Athawale noted that RPI(A)’s strength in Mumbai exceeds that of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), yet they were sidelined during seat allocation, causing “intense resentment” among party workers across Maharashtra.
“We are not like other leaders who repeatedly twist words or change their stance as it suits them,” Athawale said. “Fundamentally, we cannot accept any compromise that forgets the party, the workers, and their self-respect, because the workers’ strength is the party’s true strength.”
Athawale affirmed that the party will contest “friendly fights” on 38 to 39 seats, while maintaining overall support for the Mahayuti alliance. He indicated that further decisions will be made after the election results.
BJP MLC Pravin Darekar met with Athawale and later assured reporters that Athawale’s role in the government and his respect within the alliance would be maintained. Darekar acknowledged the pressure from RPI(A) workers, stating that all parties experience similar concerns during elections.
The NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is also contesting the BMC elections independently despite being part of the Mahayuti alliance. The deadline for filing nominations for the January 15 elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra is Tuesday.
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