Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday said the RPI(A) led by him has demanded ministerial berths during the Maharashtra cabinet expansion. He said that the Republican Party of India (Athawale) would demand at least two Lok Sabha seats (out of a total 48 in Maharashtra) and 10 to 15 assembly seats in the 2024 elections from the NDA quota. The Union Minister of State for Social Justice said, ‘RPI(A) should get a ministerial berth in the next cabinet expansion in Maharashtra. I had discussed this with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. I will meet him again. I think we should also get an opportunity to share power.’ The cabinet expansion is eagerly awaited among members of the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena.
After coming to power in June last year, the Shinde-Fadnavis government inducted 18 ministers on August 9, while according to the rules, the state cabinet can have a maximum of 43 members. However, Shinde and Fadnavis have not given any date for the expansion of the cabinet.
Cabinet expansion to happen before the monsoon session
Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader Shambhuraj Desai said that the much-awaited cabinet expansion will happen in the monsoon session of the state assembly or even earlier. Athawale’s party is a constituent of the BJP-led NDA. Athawale also said that the RPI(A) under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will contest the upcoming elections to municipal corporations and district councils in Maharashtra in alliance with the BJP and the Shiv Sena. “I will try to ensure that RPI(A) gets at least two to three Lok Sabha seats and 10 to 15 assembly seats to contest in Maharashtra,” he said.
Would like to contest from the Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency
To a question, Athawale said that he would like to contest from the Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 elections. Terming the Odisha train accident as a very unfortunate incident, Rajya Sabha member Athawale said that the opposition parties should not politicize it. Asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statements in the US, Athawale said it was not fair to unnecessarily criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside India. Athawale also said that the RPI(A) is working towards reviving the Dalit Panther Party.
