‘Whoever I side with secures power’: Ramdas Athawale claims Modi will win 2029 polls
Addressing a press conference here on the occasion of the completion of the Modi government’s 12 years in power, Athawale said that the prime minister will serve for more than 25 years.
He later clarified that his calculation also included the 12 years Modi completed in office, meaning the prime minister would return to power in 2029 and 2034. “People want Modi to stay in power,” he added.
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He said in a democracy, the mandate lies with the people, referencing the constitutional principle of “one man, one vote, one value”. Athawale, whose RPI (Athawale) is a constituent of the NDA, later added with a chuckle: “Whoever I side with will secure power, which will bring me into government while also removing the opposition from power.”
The minister also slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and sarcastically congratulated him for being an “expert in daily criticism”.
He expressed confidence that the opposition will remain in its current position after the next elections as the NDA has no intention of resigning.Also Read: ‘Choose between me and Abhishek Banerjee’: Kalyan Banerjee resigns as TMC MP’s lawyer in HC case
Athawale recalled that in his last meeting with Prime Minister Modi, he presented a statue of Lord Buddha on behalf of his party. He told the Prime Minister that the world needed the Buddha’s teachings and peace rather than war.
Highlighting the secular approach of the NDA government, Athawale rejected allegations of bias and stated that the administration worked equally for all communities, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and Lingayats.
Underlining the central government’s commitment to the development of Uttarakhand, the Union minister stated that projects worth Rs 40,000 crore will come to the state in the financial year 2026-27. Special budgetary provisions have been made for Char Dham routes, infrastructure and sailing improvements for Rishikesh and Haridwar, as well as eco-friendly mountain trekking initiatives in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
On education policies and employment, the minister said all universities under the University Grants Commission must strictly comply with the constitutional reservation quotas for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and specially-abled students.
He emphasized that college admissions should reflect these projected percentages and pointed out the expansion of IITs, IIMs and medical colleges under the current government.
When asked about the lack of state minister status for RPI (Athawale) members in Uttarakhand, Athawale said such administrative appointments are the sole prerogative of the chief minister and the BJP leadership, adding that his party’s immediate focus is to expand its organizational footprint across all districts and communities.
