Athawale firm on joining hands with Shiv Sena-BJP

Republican Party of India chief Ramdas Athawale reiterated the resolve of his party to join hands with the Shiv Sena in a party rally held at Somaiya grounds on Sunday.

Republican Party of India chief Ramdas Athawale reiterated the resolve of his party to join hands with the Shiv Sena in a party rally held at Somaiya grounds on Sunday.

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"We too have given much to you," said Athawale, referring to the Congress-NCP alliance. "The RPI workers will not be the slave of any political parties in future," he added.

Athawale told a party rally on Sunday that the Congress did not have any moral right to use Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's name for political gain, responding to allegations of his joining the Sena-BJP for similar reasons.

The Dalit leader, who was a minister in the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party state governments and later an alliance-sponsored Lok Sabha member, said he wanted to work with the Sena-BJP to put up a joint fight against the state and Centre governments.