Union minister Ramdas Athawale has claimed that due to the inclusion of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in the Mahayuti government, his party RPI (A) did not get any ministerial berth in the state despite a promise. He also expressed confidence that the ruling Mahayuti will secure 150 to 160 seats in the upcoming elections to the 288-member state assembly. The Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment was talking to reporters at Dahanu in the district on Tuesday. "RPI (A) did not get any ministerial position in the Maharashtra cabinet after Ajit Pawar joined the Mahayuti government. Our party had been promised cabinet positions, chairmanship of two corporations, and roles in district-level committees. But all this could not happen due to Pawar's inclusion," Athawale said. "For the upcoming Maharashtra elections, the RPI (A) should be given 12 seats to contest. We should also be given representation in the state cabinet," he said. Ajit Pawar-led NCP joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in the state in July last year. The RPI (A) is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alliance led by the BJP. On Maratha reservation, Athawale said his party was the first to raise the issue. Marathas should be provided reservation under a separate category as including them under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) tag would invite opposition from that group, he said. "The Maharashtra government should study Tamil Nadu's reservation system and Marathas from the economically weaker sections earning less than Rs 8 lakh every year be given reservation," he said. Athawale extended his support to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Highlighting the achievements of his ministry, he said the initiatives undertaken by it benefit 45 per cent of India's population. The ministry has launched a nationwide de-addiction campaign aimed at combating substance abuse among the youth, he said. The ministry has opened 51 crore bank accounts and provided benefits to 46 crore individuals through schemes like the Mudra Yojana and Ujjwala Gas Yojana, he said.
