Will try to 'snatch the elephant' from BSP: Athawale

After his induction into Modi government, RPI chief Ramdas Athawale today trained his guns on Mayawati declaring that he would try to "snatch the elephant" from BSP, referring to its election symbol, with the support of BJP.
"Elephant was the symbol of Republican Party of India. However, with the division in RPI and the rise of BSP, it was later given to Mayawati's party. Now we will try to bring it back. We will snatch the elephant," the leader from Maharashtra said.
Athawale said a representative of RPI thought has become a part of the Union Council of Ministers after B R Amedbkar who was a Minister in the first Cabinet headed by Jawaharlal Nehru.

He claimed BSP's core vote bank of Dalits is shrinking in Uttar Pradesh which was clear in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls outcome and RPI aims to take advantage of the situation.
"In the Lok Sabha polls, BJP and its allies got 73 seats in UP while BSP got none. This means the Dalit vote base has shifted to BJP. If BJP, Apna Dal and RPI come together, it will have a significant effect on the BSP's vote bank," he claimed.
Athawale said his party intends to contest 20-25 seats in UP and is in touch with BSP dissidents and senior leaders some of whom had recently quit the party.

The Dalit leader also batted for reservation to Patidars, Jats, Marathas and those demanding the quota benefit.

"As long as it does not hurt the existing reservation system, they should extend this facility," he said.
The RPI leader said he will try to bring Shiv Sena and BJP together to contest the crucial civic body polls in Mumbai.
"I will talk to (Sena chief) Uddhavji and the Maharashtra Chief Minister on the issue. However, if the Sena-BJP alliance does not work out, we will align with BJP. Post-poll, we can again come together," Athawale said.
Amid talks of a merger between Apna Dal and BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Athawale said there was no such proposal with regard to his party. "If there is any such proposal, then I will quit the government. People back me because of RPI," he said.