Athawale wants RPI-A, BJP tie-up for UP polls

Union minister and BJP ally Ramdas Athawale, a Dalit leader from Maharashtra, today pitched for an alliance between his RPI-A outfit and the saffron party for the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, claiming that if they come together they will form the government.
"If BJP and RPI-A contest together then it will be big setback for Mayawati. The Dalit votes which are with Mayawati at present were once with RPI. When Charan Singh became the UP Chief Minister in 1967 as many as 16 MLAs won election on RPI's symbol.
"Now I have to go and seek the share of Dalit votes which belonged to us. I will try to get one fourth share of the Dalit votes in the state. And if BJP and RPI-A come together, then they will form the next government," he said.

RPI-A has little presence in the state which is going to the polls early next year. Out of power in the state for over 14 years, BJP is making all out efforts to reclaim its one time bastion which has been ruled by regional parties SP and BSP all these years.