RPI (A) to Contest Haryana Assembly Elections, Seeks Alliance with BJP

Union minister Ramdas Athawale's RPI (A) plans to contest 8-10 seats in the Haryana Assembly Elections, demanding two reserved seats from BJP. If no agreement is reached, RPI (A) will field candidates independently. The elections are set for October 5, with nominations closing on September 12.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale-led Republican Party of India (Athawale) plans to contest 8-10 seats in the upcoming Haryana Assembly Elections, supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the remaining seats, according to RPI (A)'s Haryana unit President Ravi Sonu Kundli. During a Monday press conference, Kundli stated that the party is demanding two seats from the BJP, and will field candidates independently if no agreement is reached.

'We plan to contest on 8-10 seats. If we form an alliance with the BJP at the state level, we are demanding 2 seats. If no agreement is reached, we will field candidates on 8-10 seats and support BJP candidates on the remaining 80 seats,' Kundli said. Party leader Manju Chibbar added that the two seats in question are reserved seats, Mullana in Ambala and Nilokheri in Karnal.

'If BJP grants us these two seats in the alliance, we will support BJP on the remaining 8 seats. We have longstanding ties with BJP but will contest independently in Haryana to keep party morale high if no agreement is reached,' Chibbar said. The RPI (A) is campaigning on issues including slum dwellers' living conditions, women exploitation, and drug abuse.

Voting in Haryana is scheduled for October 5, with the deadline for nominations on September 12. A recent meeting in the national capital chaired by BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda and attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah failed to finalize Haryana's candidates. The first list of candidates will be released soon, and the political outlook remains fluid with ongoing recruitment into BJP ranks.

(With inputs from agencies.)