Prakash Ambedkar rejects Athawale's offer for unity

Mumbai: The prospects for unity of the Republican Party in the upcoming elections look grimafter Prakash Ambedkar rejected union minister for state Ramdas Athawale’s offer.

While Mr Athawale has been pushing for Republican Party unity, Mr Ambedkar, inrejecting Mr Athawale’s proposal and calling him names, has made it clear that he willcontest the next election by aligning with smaller parties rather than other Republican groups. Mr Ambedkar has stated that he does not need a reserved constituency to win the election.

 Mr Athawale has been demanding unity of Republican parties in the state. He even said that all Republican groups must merge and form a bigger party to consolidate dalit votes in the state. After the violence at Bhima-Koregaon, Pune, and the successful

Maharashtra bandh of January 3, Mr Athawale has expressed similar opinions. However, Mr Ambedkar, who is the president of Bharip (Bharatiya Republic) Bahujan Mahasangh, has rejected the offer. While talking to media persons in Ahmednagar on Saturday, Mr Ambedkar said, “The game (2019 elections) has not even started yet. I will play my own game. I don’t need the help of these people.” He went to the extent of questioning who Mr Athawale was and why they should follow him. 

Mr Ambedkar, who has been successful in uniting dalits, OBCs and other smaller caste groups in Akola district of Vidarbha further said that he did not need a reserved constituency. Mr Ambedkar said, “I have never fought on a reserved constituency. I do not need it. Those who need it should look after themselves.”

 There are nearly 50 assembly constituencies where the unity of Republican parties could swing results. But apart from the dalit unity of 1989, these parties and different smaller groups never came together. With Mr Ambedkar’s statement, talks of Republican unity have again been laid to rest.