Kamble says Dalit voters turning away from Congress, NCP

Mumbai, May 30 (UNI) Leader of the Republican Party Of India (Democratic) T M Kamble today said Dalit voters in Maharashtra were turning away from the Congress and the NCP.

''The voting pattern in the Thane Lok Sabha and Karnataka Assembly elections is proof enough that a new trend is emerging, which should be alarming for the ruling alliance in the State'', Kamble told reporters at the Mantralaya press room here.

He said the Congress party was seen as a 'baddie' by the Kannada Dalits as it ditched Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit leader, as its chief ministerial candidate.

The Dalit voters in Thane voted for a Shiv Sena candidate as they no longer trust the Congress-NCP alliance in the state, he claimed.

Kamble said ruling alliance-backed RPI leader Ramdas Athavale had lost his following amongst the Dalits.

''The RPI(D) is trying to forge a third alternative in the State in the coming polls'', he said.

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