Upset BJP ally RPI (A) threatens to go solo in Navi Mumbai civic polls

Navi Mumbai: Mahayuti ally, the Republican Party of India, headed by Union minister Ramdas Athawale, on Monday threatened to contest the Navi Mumbai civic polls solo, claiming a cold response and lack of support from the BJP and Shiv Sena.

RPI (A) poll observer for Navi Mumbai, Suresh Barsingh, expressed dismay over the party not being allotted even a single seat.

"It is bad that RPI (A), which had helped elect two (BJP) MLAs and one (Shiv Sena) MP from Navi Mumbai, was not being given any importance. We met (BJP leader and minister) Ganesh Naik and demanded five to six seats, but he expressed helplessness," he told reporters.

"We will not support the BJP or go with another ally, or we will go solo," he said.

Another RPI (A) leader said the party has given freedom to its workers to file nominations. The deadline to file nomination papers for the January 15 polls for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra closes on December 30.

The leader accused the BJP of using RPI (A).

While the RPI (A) workers do not get tickets for the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls, they should at least be considered for the civic body polls, he added.