PANAJI
Spurned by the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, the BJP on Tuesday unveiled an alliance with the Republican Party of India (RPI) in the presence of the party’s president Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athavale.
While Athavale confessed that the party did not have a strong presence in Goa, both the Union Minister and state BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said that the alliance -- the RPI has offered unconditional support while agreeing to not contest in any seat -- would help the BJP in around 27 assembly seats, which have pockets of Scheduled Caste votes.
“In Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur, RPI will align with the BJP. In Goa, RPI will not field a single candidate and will support BJP in all 40 seats. My party’s state committee has taken this decision. The BJP government should come to power here and RPI will be with the BJP wholeheartedly,” Athavale told a press conference in Panaji in the presence of Tanavade.
Athavale who is on a visit to the coastal state also admitted that the RPI does not have much political clout in Goa on account of the relatively low Scheduled Caste population in the poll-bound state.
“The scheduled caste population in Goa is low. Our efforts are on to expand the party. I have been coming here for 25-30 years. The party is not progressing in the manner it should have,” he said.
“BJP will benefit if RPI goes along with it (in Goa). There are around 1,000 to 2,000 votes in 27 constituencies, where Dalit population is high, which will help the BJP,” he also said.
Athavale also said that the RPI, which is a part of the National Democratic Alliance government, would be supporting the BJP in four other states which are also going to polls along with Goa.
He also praised Sawant’s leadership as well as his delivery on issues confronting the marginalised sections of society after meeting Sawant and Tanavade in Vasco, during which the Union Minister formally expressed his party’s support to the BJP.
“The CM spoke about steps taken in the interest of Dalits, adivasis, OBCs by the BJP government in Goa,” he said.
“Pramod Sawant has taken a decision for Dalit reservation in local bodies, allotted space for an Ambedkar Bhavan. The Ambedkar Bhavan will be constructed very soon. He is focussing on issues related to the Dalits,” Athavale said.
“He is the first CM in the country who holds the Social Justice ministry. No CM in the country holds this department, but Pramod Sawant heads this department. The central government will do all it can to help the state government build an Ambedkar Bhavan in Goa,” Athavale also said.
