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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Prakash Ambedkar is dividing Dalit votes, says Ramdas Athawale
The minister of state for social justice and empowerment was in the city to campaign for Girish Bapat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Pune Lok Sabha constituency
Ramdas Athawale, president of Republican Party of India (RPI-A), said that though he helped Prakash Ambedkar, founder, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), call for a bandh in Maharashtra after caste riots erupted at Bhima-Koregaon on January 1, 2018, the latter has failed to reunite Dalit factions in the state.
The minister of state for social justice and empowerment was in the city to campaign for Girish Bapat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Pune Lok Sabha constituency.
Athawale said, “BJP and Shiv Sena fought with each other for four years, but have joined hands ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, though the difference between Ambedkar and myself is not so severe as BJP-Sena, we have been unable to join hands in the state.”
The minister said that by forming Vanchit Vikas Agadi, Ambedkar is dividing the Dalit votes, thereby helping the Bharatiya Janata Party. “Instead of extending indirect help, if Ambedkar supports BJP directly, he would also get a minister’s berth in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet,” he said.
When asked about demand made by Ambedkar on restrictions on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the RPI president said instead of demanding restrictions on the saffron organisation, Ambedkar should join the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance.
When questioned why he is not speaking about the issues of Dalits, unemployment and batting for nationalism, Athawale said, “Nationalism is important and I ask the youths of the Dalit community to join defence services as they will get good salaries there.”
Speaking about National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) prospects in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Athawale said, “Vote share of BJP may go down in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, but the party and NDA will retain power.”
