'Will support anyway because...': Ramdas Athawale says RPI unhappy with BJP-Shiv Sena seat-sharing

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said his Republican Party of India (RPI-A) was not satisfied with the seat-sharing arrangement among NDA constituents in Maharashtra but will support the alliance to keep the 'Ambedkarite community' in power. 

In a tweet, Athawale expressed his happiness on Saturday, a day after the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray officially announced the seat-sharing in 'Mahayuti.'

In a joint address on Friday, Fadnavis and Thackeray declared that the BJP will fight on 150 seats in the state, while Sena will contest from 124. The remaining 14 seats will go smaller allies such as the RPI-A, Rashtriya Samaj Party and others. It is believed that a considerable number of these will fight on the BJP's symbol. 

There are a total of 288 seats in the Assembly.

"RPI is not satisfied with the seat-sharing in BJP-Shiv Sena-RPI alliance. But for the 'Ambedkarite community' to keep sharing power, RPI will support the alliance," Athawale said. 

The RPI is contesting on six seats in the assembly elections - Phaltan (Satara), Malshiras (Solapur), Bhandara and Naigaon (Nanded), Pathri (Parbhani) and Mankhurd- Shivaji Nagar in Mumbai.

Announcing the names of the candidates on Wednesday, Athawale said they were to get more number of seats but could not as Shiv Sena demanded more seats.

Maharashtra Assembly elections are slated to be held on October 21. The counting of votes will take place on October 24.