Athawale says CM assured him on corporation posts, council seat

Union minister Ramdas Athawale has stirred political discussion with a major statement. He said he had asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for two corporation chairman posts and one Legislative Council seat, and that the Chief Minister had given him an assurance on this.

Athawale said his party cannot win elections on its own, but that the RPI, even while not in power in Maharashtra, has the strength and votes to get some candidates elected and defeat others. He also said the strength of his party workers stands firmly behind him.

Referring to demands for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, Union Minister of State Ramdas Athawale also criticised the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). He asked whether these people existed only to demand resignations, and remarked sarcastically that they should rename their party the Resignation Janata Party.

A grand felicitation was held for Ramdas Athawale at Pali in Raigad to mark ten years since he became a Union minister. He made these remarks while speaking at that event.

Only Shrivardhan taluka in Raigad has been included as a drought-hit taluka. Speaking on this, Athawale said other talukas also need to be considered. Paddy cultivation, for which Raigad district is known, is in crisis in several talukas due to delayed rain followed by heavy rain that washed away the paddy crop in floodwater. Athawale said several talukas need to be considered in this regard, and that he would certainly look into it and try to address it.

He further said he has been working in the government for the last ten years, and that this government has given a big boost to the country's economy. He said several government schemes are providing help across the country, and that over the last ten years he has made several efforts to expand his party.

Athawale said his role is to secure justice for the poor. He said the RPI has a branch in every state of the country, and that if two more of his party's MPs are elected in Maharashtra in future, the party could get recognised status in the state.