Defying party line RPI (A) leader Arjun Dangle supports Shiv Sena
Mumbai : Ramdas Athawale-led Republican Party of India (A) experienced the brunt of splitting apart of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance on Monday when one of its prominent leaders, Arjun Dangle, announced his decision to support Shiv Sena defying the party line.
Dangle, at a press conference held here, declared support to Shiv Sena for the next month’s Maharashtra assembly elections.
“I am not joining the Shiv Sena. I have met (Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray only to lend my support to the Sena for the upcoming Assembly elections to respect Balasaheb Thackeray’s call of uniting Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s supporters and Sena supporters. I took this step keeping the future of Maharashtra in mind,” Dangle said. Asked about the reports that he was unhappy with Athawale over assembly candidature, Dangle said, “Athawale had offered me ticket from Vikhroli. But, that came too late. And I was anyway involved in the distribution of tickets, so the question of not getting a ticket does not arise.”
Dangle also appealed the RPI workers to vote for Shiv Sena candidates. “Several RPI workers would be supporting Shiv Sena,” he said. Following the split-up of Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, Athawale, whose party was a part of ‘Mahayuti’, had decided to support the BJP. When asked about Dangle’s decision, Athawale said, Dangle’s decision has shocked him and Dangle himself had advised him to opt for BJP.
“I am very hurt… I had sought advice from the leaders of my party. He (Dangle) was one of those who advised me to go with BJP. I appeal him to come back to the RPI,” Athawale said. Earlier, hitting out at Ramdas Athawale for isolating it by forging an alliance with BJP for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, Shiv Sena today said the RPI (A) chief has “betrayed” dalits, whom he represents.
“Ramdas Athawale switched sides to make an alliance with the BJP only to grab the goodies offered to him in the form of a Central minister’s position for himself, 10 per cent of the government control and some MLCs. By switching sides, he (Athawale) has betrayed the followers who trusted him,” an editorial in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamna’ said.
The editorial said if BJP had been serious about giving respect to the followers of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, it would have agreed to the demands of Athawale long time back.
“The BJP today is in power at the Centre and hence can give a ministerial berth to Athawale. But he, had been demanding a ministerial berth from a long time. The BJP did not think of giving respect to the followers of Ambedkar then by agreeing to his demands,” it said.
The editorial further said that Athawale parted ways with the Sena without having the support of Ambedkar’s followers.
“Today we did not have anything to offer you (Athawale). But we had given you our word, that you will be the Deputy CM of the state post elections. But you chose to leave us. But the support of the followers of Ambedkar remains with us,” the editorial added.
