UP polls: Republican Party of India to contest 250 seats

LUCKNOW: The Republican Party of India, led by Ramdas Athawale, will contest 250 out of 403 seats in next year's Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh.

"The party is gearing up to field 250 candidates in the election. The list of 100 nominees will be issued soon," he told reporters here.

Attacking the Mayawati-led BSP government in Uttar Pradesh, Athawala said it had failed to solve problems of dalits.

"The government has failed on all fronts. Corruption has increased and the law and order has deteriorated during the BSP regime," he said.

The RPI will field 40 per cent dalit candidates in the upcoming UP assembly election, the party head said.

On Rahul Gandhi's recent remark about UP migrants, he said "the Congress has ruled the country and the state for a maximum period of time and if the people from UP have to go to other states for employment then the party is responsible for this."

Favouring passage of the Lokpal bill in the current session of Parliament, he said the Prime Minister should be brought under its ambit.

On the FDI in retail, Athawale said it is dangerous for economic freedom of the country.