Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday said he wanted to contest the Shirdi Lok Sabha seat, but it did work out due to certain alliance compulsions.
However, his Republican Party of India (A) workers have asked him to stay with the ruling NDA and demand a cabinet berth at the centre, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader from the state, said addressing a press conference in Nagpur.
The Rajya Sabha member said he wanted to go to the Lok Sabha and tried to seek Shirdi seat for it.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, has assured the Shirdi seat to his party's sitting MP Sadashiv Lokhande. "Hence, the seat-sharing could not work out," he said.
