If Mayawati joins hands with NDA, I would welcome it: Ramdas Athawale

Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday said he would welcome if Bahujan Samaj Party BSP chief Mayawati decides to join hands with the ruling National Democratic Alliance NDA reported the PTIRamdas Athawale however said that it was up to the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP which heads the NDA to decide about inviting the BSP to become part of the frontAccording to the news agency the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment was talking to reporters in Maharashtras Jalna before a meeting of his Republic Party of INDIA AthawaleRamdas Athawales statements came in the wake of Mayawati earlier in the day ruling out the possibility of joining hands with either the BJPled NDA or the oppositions INDIA alliance saying that all parties are eager for an alliance with the BSPShe made the comments in a series of posts on microblogging site X a day ahead of the INDIA alliances meeting in Mumbai during which the opposition leaders are expected to chalk out a joint campaign strategy to take on the BJPled NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha electionsReplying to a question on the BSP Athawale said I will welcome if Mayawati joins the NDA She works for the Dalit communityBut it is up to the BJP to decide whether to invite her party to join the NDA according to the PTIThe BJP is fully capable of contesting elections independently in Uttar Pradesh But even if she joins hands with the Samajwadi Party SP there would be no effect on the BJP in the elections Ramdas Athawale said as per the PTIRamdas Athawale extended good wishes to the INDIA alliance for its twoday meeting in Mumbai and said I believe in a strong opposition for healthy democracy and wish that it remains robustRamdas Athawale however also took a dig at the INDIA alliance saying that it should remain in the opposition even after the 2024 electionsUnder the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the NDA would retain power he saidAthawale also suggested that reservation for the Maratha community should be given on the basis of the economic criteria rather than under the Other Backward Classes OBC quotaAfter the Supreme Court struck down reservation on the social criteria the Maratha community is demanding reservation from the OBC quotaIt would be more appropriate to provide reservation based on the economic criteria he saidReferring to the next years Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections he said his party would demand two parliamentary seats and 1012 assembly seats to contestRamdas Athawale however clarified that his party would not contest elections against the Prakash Ambedkarled Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi VBA saying that the latter also works for the Dalit communityWe neither criticise nor engage in confrontations with each other We both work for the betterment of the Dalit community Athawale saidHe asserted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde would continue to occupy the position for the remaining termWhen asked about the opinion expressed by Bibek Debroy the chief of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister EACPM about replacing the Indian Constitution Athawale said the PM does not intend to replace the existing ConstitutionEarlier this month the EACPM distanced itself from its chairman Debroys article suggesting embracing a new constitution and said the article in no way reflects the views of EACPM or the Government of IndiaEACPM is an independent body constituted to give advice on economic and related issues to the Government of India specifically to the prime minister Debroy is the chairman of the Councilwith PTI inputs