RPI Chief Accuses BJP of Exclusion in BMC Election Seat Allocation
Ramdas Athawale, the leader of the Republican Party of India, has accused the BJP of excluding his party from discussions regarding seat distribution for the upcoming BMC elections. He claims that the alliance with Shiv Sena has adversely affected RPI's chances and that they were only informed late about receiving six seats. Athawale expressed disappointment over the lack of inclusion in negotiations and announced that RPI would contest independently on 28 seats, emphasizing the need for fair representation. His statements highlight the ongoing tensions within Mumbai's political landscape as the elections approach.
Dec 30, 2025, 16:41 IST
RPI Leader's Allegations Against BJP
Ramdas Athawale, the leader of the Republican Party of India (RPI), accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday of sidelining his party during discussions regarding seat distribution for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Highlighting RPI's political strength in Mumbai, Athawale stated that the alliance between BJP and Shiv Sena has negatively impacted his party's prospects, claiming that RPI was not even included in the seat-sharing talks. He mentioned that they were informed too late that only six seats had been allocated to them.
Athawale informed a news agency that the BJP and Shiv Sena coalition has created challenges for RPI in securing tickets. He emphasized that the RPI is a significant political force in Mumbai, yet the BJP has overlooked them, stating, 'We were not invited even once during the discussions. If RPI had been included in the BJP-Shiv Sena talks, we might have received some seats. We were told at 2 AM last night that we were given six seats.'
The central minister revealed that RPI had submitted a list of 26 seats to the BJP, expecting to receive allocations for 14 to 15 of them. He labeled the outcome as a 'betrayal' and announced that RPI would contest independently on 28 seats in Mumbai, utilizing their election symbol. Athawale also mentioned that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had contacted him to inform him about the allocation of six seats to RPI. However, he clarified that these seats were not part of their requested list, and RPI had no candidates in those constituencies.
Athawale reiterated that from the 26 seats they proposed, they anticipated receiving 14-15 seats, calling it a severe breach of trust by the BJP. Consequently, RPI will contest elections on all 28 seats under their own symbol. The Chief Minister informed him today that six seats had been allocated to RPI, but they responded that these were not the seats they had requested, and they had no candidates there. He stated, 'We have candidates, so these are your candidates. The election symbol will also be yours.' Despite these disagreements, the RPI leader confirmed that his party would continue to support the Mahayuti alliance.