New Delhi [India], June 19 : Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Friday dismissed allegations that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is working to dismantle smaller regional parties.
Speaking to ANI in Delhi, the Minister said such claims were baseless, pointing to his own political journey as evidence of the NDA's inclusive approach.
Athawale, who leads the Republican Party of India (A), asserted that his partnership with the coalition has facilitated the growth of his organisation rather than hindering it.
"I believe this allegation lacks substance. My party is a small party, but despite that, after joining the NDA, my party has reached 28 states and 8 union territories, and is even recognised in Nagaland and Manipur... So, there is no substance in this allegation," the Union Minister stated.
Athawale further slammed Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of politically "criminalising" West Bengal during her term as Chief Minister. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, crediting him for the growth of the NDA.
"Mamata Banerjee's initial role was to make Bengal a golden Bengal, but she ruined it. Political criminalisation had become rampant there. That's why, for the first time in the country... West Bengal became the state with the highest voter turnout since independence... Now, 20 of her MPs have already defected... They have joined the NCPI. The strength of our NDA has increased, and the leadership of PM Modi has become even stronger," he said.
Reacting to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's "abusive" remarks over his party MPs amidst a speculated split within the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Athawale said, "We can understand him getting angry after so many MPs defected. However, it is not a good thing to abuse... It is not in our tradition to abuse in Maharashtra... Sanjay Raut is also a member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha... So, I feel that using such language is not right."