MUMBAI, JULY 28: Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Ramdas Athavale today expressed fear that the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance would engineer serious Hindu-Muslim riots statewide on the eve of general elections in order to mobilise the Hindu vote bank in their favour. In view of such a scenario, he said that all Muslim leaders in Mumbai should be provided police protection.Addressing a press conference here today, Athavale said, ``The Sena-BJP leaders are worried that they will not be able to retain power. They have realised that it was a mistake to dissolve the Assembly. So they want to play the Hindu card once again. I fear the alliance will engineer communal riots in Mumbai and trouble Muslims in particular.'' Athavale said his faction of the RPI would strongly contend for the poll symbol, Rising Sun, during a hearing before the Election Commission of India scheduled for July 29. He claimed that he had the support of most of the Dalit leaders in RPI and would be able to retain the poll symbol. However, Athavale had no backup plans in case the EC froze the symbol.He said the party has formed an all India parliamentary board to finalise seat sharing for Lok Sabha with different political parties at the national level. Athavale will be chair the board.Meanwhile, answering a question, Athavale said Madhya Pradesh minister for Social Welfare and Labour, D S Nagpure was expelled from the party for opposing decisions taken by party leaders. He added that more leaders would be expelled in the coming days including 20 members of the RPI national executive committee.Athavale said the RPI will accept applications from poll aspirants on August 3. Once the candidates are finalised, the list will be forwarded to NCP in Maharashtra and to other parties at national level to make easy the process of seat sharing, added Athavale.
