Union Minister Nitin Gadkari playfully teased his cabinet colleague Ramdas Athawale over his impressive ability to retain his ministerial position across various governments. Speaking at an event in Nagpur on Sunday, Gadkari remarked, “No Guarantee for Our 4th Term, but what is definitely guaranteed is that Ramdas Athawale will become a minister.” The comment, made in Athawale’s presence, was followed by Nitin Gadkari clarifying that it was all in good humor.

Athawale’s Confidence in Retaining Ministerial Role

Ramdas Athawale, leader of the Republican Party of India (RPI-A), has served as a minister three times and expressed confidence in maintaining this streak if the BJP-led alliance returns to power. Athawale also discussed his party’s plans for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.

RPI-A’s Seat Demands in Upcoming Elections

Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Athawale stated that the RPI-A, a partner in the ruling Mahayuti coalition, should be allotted 10 to 12 seats in the forthcoming assembly elections. He specified that his party would contest on its own symbol and is seeking three to four seats in Vidarbha, including North Nagpur, Umred, Umarkhed in Yavatmal, and Washim.

Tensions Over Seat Sharing in the Mahayuti Alliance

Athawale revealed that the RPI-A has prepared a list of 18 potential seats and will be sharing this list with Mahayuti partners in the coming days, hoping for a fair share of 10 to 12 seats in the seat-sharing arrangement. He suggested that the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP each allocate four seats from their quota to his party.

Disappointment Over Unfulfilled Promises

Earlier in Palghar, Athawale voiced dissatisfaction over his party’s exclusion from ministerial roles in the state government, despite prior promises. He claimed that due to the inclusion of Ajit Pawar’s NCP in the Mahayuti government, the RPI-A was not given the promised cabinet positions, chairmanship of two corporations, and roles in district-level committees.

Maharashtra Assembly Elections: A Preview

The elections for Maharashtra’s 288 assembly seats are expected in November. Currently, the BJP is the largest party in the assembly with 103 MLAs, followed by the NCP (41), Shiv Sena (40), Congress (40), Shiv Sena (UBT) (15), NCP (SP) (13), and others (29). Several seats remain vacant as the state gears up for a high-stakes electoral battle.