The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and National President of RPI (A) Ramdas Athawale today said that the NDA will win at least 260 seats in the LS election and will form the Govt under the PM Narendra Modi.
Athawale who was in Yavatmal told a press conference after visiting some of the drought hit villages in the district. Athawale has also visited the family of martyr Agraman Rahate of village Tarodaof Arni tehsil (in Yavatmal) and promised a sum of Rs.5 lakh from his party fund in addition to the State Govt’s aid of Rs. 25 lakh.
Athawale has admitted that injustice was meted out to Vidarbha and said that major pending Irrigation projects should be completed soon to minimise the backlog.
Regarding the remarks of Modi on former PM Rajiv Gandhi, Athawale said, Rajiv Gandhi had committed corruption in Bofors deal and endorses Modi’s public accusations.
When asked if he was offered the Union Minister post for the sake of the blue flag of his party, he said that BJP is using his party and good will and gains benefit out of it.
“Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had suggested for the river linking project in those days and if it would have been implemented, there should not have been water scarcity anywhere in Maharashtra,” he said, further adding that it was ignored by the successive Govts.
About performance in Maharashtra, the BJP Sena alliance will get 37-38 seats as against the 42in 2014, he said, adding that his party would be with them even for the State election and will demand 18 seats.
“We will demand for Umarkhed (SC) Assembly seat of Yavatmal this time and will be happy if we get seven to eight seats in Assembly elections,” he said.
When asked about the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi of Prakash Ambedkar, Athawale said it won’t get any seat in Maharashtra and on the contrary it will benefit BJP. Regarding EVM controversy kicked off by Sharad Pawar, he said Pawar is worried about his own home turf and added that he would support Ballot paper system in 2024 election. When asked if constitution is safe under Modi Govt, he said, “Yes” and added that old BJP is not the present BJP as it changed a lot.
