)
Ramdas Athawale-led RPI, a constituent of the Mahayuti (grand alliance), today cautioned its allies BJP-Shiv Sena against becoming "over confident" while facing the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls considering their remarkable victory in the Lok Sabha polls.
"The BJP-Sena won by a huge margin in the Lok Sabha elections. However, they should make sure about not getting over confident...Look at those results and remember that a lot of hard work is required to secure a win in the upcoming Assembly elections," RPI chief Ramdas Athawale said.
Stating that there was a strong anti-incumbency wave in Maharashtra, he said the Mahayuti should work hard to ensure a change in the government.
"People of Maharashtra are fed up with issues like corruption, indecisive government and rising attacks on the Dalits...Therefore they want a change in the state leadership. All the constituents of the Mahayuti should work hard to ensure a change in the government," he said.
Athwale was addressing party workers here on the sidelines of RPI's core committee meet to finalise the assembly seats in Maharashtra.
He said that RPI has prepared a list of 40-50 assembly seats, which the party wants to contest and the list will be submitted to BJP and Shiv Sena tomorrow.
"We expect the Mahayuti leaders to give us at least 15-20 seats to contest in the upcoming assembly polls," the RPI leader said adding that both parties should immediately work out a seat sharing formula which would provide enough time to the partymen to prepare themselves for the polls.
He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should keep the promise made to him during his swearing-in ceremony and allot him a portfolio in the central government.
"When I had met Modi at his swearing-in ceremony, he had assured me of a cabinet berth whenever he expands his ministries. I urge him to honour his promise now, which will send a good message to the people of Maharashtra," Athawale said.
He also demanded key posts for his party. "RPI workers should get posts like that of Governors and in ministries of the central government," he said.
