NEW DELHI: Congress and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) announced a 26:22 seat-sharing agreement for Maharashtra on Monday. The announcement, which came after days of suspense, saw NCP getting one seat more than it did in 2004.
Congress leader AK Antony said that the “two parties will fight unitedly as alliance partners.” Reiterating that the two parties would contest together, NCP’s Praful Patel said, “We are in alliance and we will support each other. There will be no friendly fights and Congress and NCP will have a joint campaign.” Leaders of both parties were evasive on whether the alliance would also extend to other states like Goa and Gujarat. “We have right now finalised seat-sharing in Maharashtra,” Mr Antony said
Even though the seats have been finalised, there is still a possibility of an exchange, “based on mutual request”. Sidestepping queries about the third front, Mr Patel said: “We have been a part of the UPA for the last five years, and we have chosen to be with Congress in these elections. We are in an alliance with Congress. We shall stand by the alliance and support fully all the candidates. There is not to have any other understanding.” Mr Patel also dismissed the issue of Mr Pawar’s projection as the prime minister. The Union minister said that his party chief has already clarified that NCP was a small party and “there is no need of words-splitting.”
Mr Patel as well as Mr Antony said that the request for exchanging seats was being taken under consideration and the process will be complete in the next one or two days. Among the seats that are being considered for exchange is Osmanabad in Marathwada. The seat, which is a bone of contention, is currently in NCP kitty. Both parties said they will hold discussions on exchange of few seats in the next two days. Former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is keen on contesting Osmanabad. Congress therefore has asked NCP to give the seat and take Jalna instead. NCP is keen on fielding controversial ex-minister Padamsinh Patil, who is related to party chief Sharad Pawar, from Osmanabad.
As for seat allocation for the Republican Party of India (RPI), Mr Patel said: “We couldn’t have held talks with others till things between Congress and NCP were sorted out”. It is believed that both Congress and NCP will give up one seat each to accommodate RPI. Both leaders said that they will “take a decision very shortly and we want to take our friends with us.” On the issue of accommodating SP in Maharashtra, both leaders were once again evasive.
Showing posts with label republican party of india. Show all posts
Showing posts with label republican party of india. Show all posts
Wednesday
Tuesday
Maya under fire from Dalit leaders in Maharashtra
Express News Service
MUMBAI, November 30: In the run-up to Babasaheb Ambedkar’s death anniversary, to be observed at Chaityabhoomi where his last rites were performed on December 6, Dalit leaders are criticising BSP chief Mayawati for not paying tribute to the Dalit icon.
Founder-president of Dalit Panthers and noted poet Namdeo Dhasal has demanded an apology from her for not visiting Chaityabhoomi during her recent visit and for calling Buddhists “Mahar”.
Dhasal has asked her to apologise before December 6 or face dire consequences. “If Mayawati fails to apologise for this great insult toAmbedkar’s followers before December 6, she will not be able to visit Maharashtra again and her BSP will have to face dire consequences,” he has said.
Dhasal further pointed out that after the conversion of Dalits to Buddhism in 1956 along with Ambedkar, the Mahar community was being recognised as Buddhists, but Mayawati had insulted the community by calling it Mahar. He was referring to Mayawati’s speech on Sunday in which she had stated that the Congress Government, in order to appease Dalits, would make a Mahar person the chief minister of the state.
Dhasal’s gesture comes close on the heels of similar criticism of Mayawati by Dalit leaders of Maharashtra. Lok Sabha MP and leader of the Republican Party of India (RPI) Ramdas Athavale has already lambasted her for not paying tribute to Ambedkar at his resting place at Chaityabhoomi.
Athavale has also accused her of misleading Dalits to strengthen the Hindutva brigade, as she has the history of forming alliance with the BJP. He has also asked her to convert to Buddhism if she revered Ambedkar and wanted his followers to join her party.
Ambedkar’s grandson, Prakash, has also objected to the third place given to Ambedkar on BSP’s publicity material and taken it as an insult of the Dalit icon. He too has objected to Mayawati shunning Chaityabhoomi.
The Dalit leaders of the state are divided into a dozen odd factions of the RPI, but are apparently apprehensive about Mayawati carving out her following among their followers. While Athavale is an ally of NCP, Dhasal is a supporter of the Shiv Sena. Prakash’s alliances keep changing between the Congress or leftist parties.
The obvious ploy of the leaders is to turn Buddhists against Mayawati, as she is still a Hindu Dalit. They are banking on the religious sentiments of Dalits, who have converted to Buddhism and are bitter about the caste system.
MUMBAI, November 30: In the run-up to Babasaheb Ambedkar’s death anniversary, to be observed at Chaityabhoomi where his last rites were performed on December 6, Dalit leaders are criticising BSP chief Mayawati for not paying tribute to the Dalit icon.
Founder-president of Dalit Panthers and noted poet Namdeo Dhasal has demanded an apology from her for not visiting Chaityabhoomi during her recent visit and for calling Buddhists “Mahar”.
Dhasal has asked her to apologise before December 6 or face dire consequences. “If Mayawati fails to apologise for this great insult toAmbedkar’s followers before December 6, she will not be able to visit Maharashtra again and her BSP will have to face dire consequences,” he has said.
Dhasal further pointed out that after the conversion of Dalits to Buddhism in 1956 along with Ambedkar, the Mahar community was being recognised as Buddhists, but Mayawati had insulted the community by calling it Mahar. He was referring to Mayawati’s speech on Sunday in which she had stated that the Congress Government, in order to appease Dalits, would make a Mahar person the chief minister of the state.
Dhasal’s gesture comes close on the heels of similar criticism of Mayawati by Dalit leaders of Maharashtra. Lok Sabha MP and leader of the Republican Party of India (RPI) Ramdas Athavale has already lambasted her for not paying tribute to Ambedkar at his resting place at Chaityabhoomi.
Athavale has also accused her of misleading Dalits to strengthen the Hindutva brigade, as she has the history of forming alliance with the BJP. He has also asked her to convert to Buddhism if she revered Ambedkar and wanted his followers to join her party.
Ambedkar’s grandson, Prakash, has also objected to the third place given to Ambedkar on BSP’s publicity material and taken it as an insult of the Dalit icon. He too has objected to Mayawati shunning Chaityabhoomi.
The Dalit leaders of the state are divided into a dozen odd factions of the RPI, but are apparently apprehensive about Mayawati carving out her following among their followers. While Athavale is an ally of NCP, Dhasal is a supporter of the Shiv Sena. Prakash’s alliances keep changing between the Congress or leftist parties.
The obvious ploy of the leaders is to turn Buddhists against Mayawati, as she is still a Hindu Dalit. They are banking on the religious sentiments of Dalits, who have converted to Buddhism and are bitter about the caste system.
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