RPI state conclave to be held at Shirdi

Mumbai: The state conclave of the Republican Party of India (RPI) will be held at Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, union minister of state for social justice and RPI chief Ramdas Athawale has said.

He appealed the party workers to work for making the conclave a great success. The conclave will be held on May 28, Athawale said adding that the party is gearing up for the ensuing elections.

Athawale serious about contesting Lok Sabha election from the seat

Athawale had unsuccessfully contested election from Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency in 2009. Last month at a program of his department in Shirdi, Maharashtra revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil had appealed Athawale to return to Shirdi. Athawale too, while accepting the invitation had said that Vikhe will have to ensure his victory if he contests from the seat.

The speculations are rife after the program that Athawale is serious about contesting the Lok Sabha election from the seat this time.Shirdi seat is currently held by Sadashiv Lokhande of Shiv Sena. It will be interesting to watch how the politics takes turns and who contests the eletion this time.
Meanwhile, Athawale has also said that the Nitish Kumar government of Bihar is anti-Dalit. Athawale was condemning the Kumar government's decision to release Anand Mohan Singh from jail who was serving life term for murder of IAS officer G Krishnaiah. Singh had been serving the jail for the murder that took place in 1994. But, the Kumar government changed the rules to facilitate Singh's release, Athawale said adding that the release has been purposefully managed in order to suppress the Dalit upsurge in the state.