RPI should get a ministerial post in Maharashtra Govt: Ramdas Athawale

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 24 (ANI): Union Minister and Republic Party of India's (Athawale) President Ramdas Athawale on Sunday expressed desire to get a ministerial post for his party in Maharashtra government as "Mahayuti has received a majority of Dalit votes" in the state polls.
Athawale presently served as the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.
"Earlier also we had demanded one ministerial post for RPI. This time Mahayuti has received a majority of Dalit votes...So, I feel that RPI should get a ministerial post. Our society also has this hope. Giving ministerial post to RPI will also benefit Mahayuti," the Union Minister told ANI.
Athawale also criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut for saying that the swearing in ceremony shouldn't happen in Maharashtra but at the Modi Stadium in Gujarat, and said that Raut has caused the most damage to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
"We have got a big benefit from Sanjay Raut's statement. If Sanjay Raut keeps giving such statements, we will benefit more. People do not take him seriously now. Sanjay Raut has caused the most damage to Uddhav Thackeray. He is also responsible for taking Uddhav Thackeray to Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (SCP)," he said.
On being asked about the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, he said the decision will be made collectively by the leaders of three parties, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
"The leaders of the three parties (BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP) will decide who will become the Chief Minister. Earlier, Eknath Shinde came with the BJP with 50 seats and then he was made the CM. But now BJP's demand will be that Devendra Fadnavis should be made the CM. They have got the full majority," he said.
The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra assembly polls by winning 230 (BJP-132, Shiv Sena-57, NCP-41) out of total 288 seats.
In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback. The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, won only 20 seats, Congress managed 16, and the NCP(SP) led by Sharad Pawar won just 10 seats.
The BJP demonstrated an impressive strike, winning 132 of the 148 seats it contested in Maharashtra. The party's allies, the Shiv Sena and NCP factions, also performed well.
The Maharashtra assembly elections were held on November 20 and the results were declared on November 23. (ANI)