Athawale wants RPI-A, BJP tie-up for UP polls

New Delhi, Aug 30 (PTI) Union minister and BJP ally RamdasAthawale, a Dalit leader from Maharashtra, today pitched foran alliance between his RPI-A outfit and the saffron party forthe forthcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, claiming that ifthey come together they will form the government. "If BJP and RPI-A contest together then it will be bigsetback for Mayawati. The Dalit votes which are with Mayawatiat present were once with RPI. When Charan Singh became the UPChief Minister in 1967 as many as 16 MLAs won election onRPI’s symbol. "Now I have to go and seek the share of Dalit votes whichbelonged to us. I will try to get one fourth share of theDalit votes in the state. And if BJP and RPI-A come together,then they will form the next government," he said. RPI-A has little presence in the state which is going tothe polls early next year. Out of power in the state for over14 years, BJP is making all out efforts to reclaim its onetime bastion which has been ruled by regional parties SP andBSP all these years. PTI JTR KR KUN ZMNKUN