'BJP-Sena cannot take us for granted'

NASHIK: Republican Party of India (A) president Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance was welcome, but the two parties cannot take his party for granted.

He was speaking while touring Nashik to review schemes of the social justice department, of which he is minister of state. "If we are silent, it does not mean we will accept anything at all. It would be a mistake to take us for granted. We too want our representative in the Lok Sabha," he said.

RPI (A) is seeking two seats - both from Mumbai. "Whether the seat is from South Mumbai or North East Mumbai, we want two seats, one each from the Shiv Sena and BJP," Athawale said, speaking to the press.

Athawale admitted that he was not pleased that the BJP-Sena alliance was announced without taking his party into confidence. "Still we are happy. We will be meeting the CM over our demands soon," he said.

Asked if the Modi wave had receded, he said it was quite likely that the BJP will win over 300 seats in the 2019 general elections. He, however, added that the Congress is likely to perform better than in 2014. In the same breath, he added that his party played a key role in determining victors in the general elections.

"The Congress would be short of three-digits, though its seat in the Lok Sabha could double. But it all depends on us. When we were with Congress-NCP, they were in power. When we shifted our loyalty, the other alliance came to power."