Ramdas Athavale, who spreadheaded the united RPI show, said, "We will show our power. We will decide the fate of the next government and the chief minister of Maharashtra".
Dalits constitute 10.5% of the total vote bank, with potential to upset Congress calculations by playing spoilsport in at least 60 assembly segments.
Athavale said, "We are thoroughly disenchanted with the (Congress) neglect of the dalit community."
Noted dalit writer Arjun Dangle said, "The pressure for us to come together emanated from the grassroots workers."
The developments have made the Congress jittery. Top leadership of state Congress is going that extra mile to break dalit unity, wooing individual leaders with promises of getting them elected to the state legislature council and Rajya Sabha.
The biggest drawback for RPI, however, is the refusal of Prakash Ambedkar, Bharatiya Bahujan Mahasangh chief, to join it.
