Athawale's Republican Party to Participate in Delhi Elections; Indicates Support for BJP's Government Formation
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Mumbai, Jan 9 (NationPress) With the Delhi election landscape heating up, several smaller parties and offshoots are poised to assert themselves. Ramdas Athawale, who leads the Republican Party of India (RPI) and serves as a Rajya Sabha member, has revealed plans for his party to contest in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
During a media interaction, Athawale remarked, “The BJP is not allotting us any seats in Delhi, despite our considerable presence there. I will be traveling to Delhi tomorrow for a party meeting. We have received approximately 30–35 applications from those eager to run in Delhi among the 70 Assembly seats. Should any of our candidates succeed, we will aid the BJP in establishing the government.”
On the topic of the opposition coalition, he asserted, “There is a distinct split within the INDIA bloc.”
“While the AAP and Congress formed an alliance during the Lok Sabha elections, they are currently at odds. The AAP has declared its intention to compete independently in Delhi, and the Congress is also running solo. Although a few smaller parties are backing the AAP, it is unlikely to have a significant impact. In my perspective, the INDIA bloc is fragmented,” he stated.
Conversely, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi, has voiced her party's endorsement for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.
“Within the INDIA bloc, the AAP is a crucial player. It is the sole party capable of posing a challenge to the BJP in Delhi, and we have resolved to bolster its position. Allies in the INDIA bloc must support those capable of defeating the BJP. Our struggle is to defend the Constitution and democracy, and for that, we will endorse the AAP,” Chaturvedi stated.
She also condemned the alleged misuse of investigative agencies in Delhi, referring to the detentions of Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and others. “We have seen how investigative agencies were weaponized against AAP leaders. This is yet another reason we must back the AAP,” she added.
Athawale, however, countered Chaturvedi’s viewpoint. “The current situation indicates that anyone supporting Kejriwal will face defeat in this election. The BJP holds an advantage in Delhi due to Narendra Modi’s efforts, which will resonate with the electorate. This time, they will enable the BJP to form the government,” he concluded.
