Hon. Ramdas Athawale has today completed a hat-trick of Rajya Sabha terms — a remarkable feat that mirrors his earlier hat-trick in the Lok Sabha, establishing an unprecedented parliamentary record on India’s political stage.
Looking at the political career of Hon. Ramdas Athawale, one cannot help but feel both admiration and awe. Here is a leader of the common people and of grassroots organisations — a leadership forged in the crucible of the Dalit Panthers and the Bharatiya Dalit Panther movement, rooted firmly in Ambedkarite ideology.
In the early phase of his career, he served as a Cabinet Minister in the state government and later as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. He then went on to represent a constituency as prestigious as Mumbai in the Lok Sabha, followed by two terms as a Member of Parliament from Pandharpur. Completing three terms in the Lok Sabha was itself a significant achievement for a leader from the Ambedkarite community. In the upper house — the Rajya Sabha — he served two terms including a stint as Union Minister of State, and now embarks on his third Rajya Sabha term.
A hat-trick as Lok Sabha MP and now a hat-trick as Rajya Sabha MP — this is a record on the political landscape that stands to Athawale’s credit. Considering the overall participation of Ambedkarite movement leaders and Republican leadership in parliamentary processes, Athawale has surpassed all others to achieve an extraordinary political milestone.
As he walked up the steps of Vidhan Bhavan after filing his nomination form, the chant “Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar — Victory!” echoed through the premises, with the thunderous slogans of party workers creating an atmosphere suffused with the spirit of Ambedkar. Even at the Mahayuti alliance leaders’ meeting, Athawale’s poetry set the mood and energised the gathering. Addressing the media in his signature youthful style, he articulated a broad vision — one that went beyond the welfare of backward-class communities to encompass the development of the state and the nation as a whole.
In the span of just two to three hours, his presence completely transformed the atmosphere within the Vidhan Bhavan premises. Through it all, this man — who has built such a towering political career — stood among the people just as he always has: an ordinary person among ordinary people. Known as a favourite of the media and as a leader who maintains warm, friendly relations across all party lines, he continued to greet common citizens with his characteristic warmth and joy — an identity and a standard he has always upheld.
One truly feels a sense of legitimate pride in Athawale’s leadership and in his achievement of this hat-trick in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, scaling new heights in his political career. With the sentiment of “Athawale Saheb, march forward — we are with you!” — there is also a deep sense of gratitude for having had the opportunity to work alongside him and to contribute, however modestly, to this journey.
Jai Bhim! Jai Bharat!
Pravin More Republican Social Activist
About the Author
Pravin More is a dedicated Republican social activist and a committed voice within the Ambedkarite movement in Maharashtra. A grassroots organiser with deep ties to the Republican Party of India’s cadre, More has worked closely alongside senior party leadership, contributing to political campaigns, public mobilisation, and community advocacy. His writing reflects the lived experience of a worker who has stood shoulder to shoulder with the movement — not from the corridors of power, but from the ground where convictions are tested and solidified. In this tribute, More offers a firsthand account of a historic political moment — Hon. Ramdas Athawale’s unprecedented hat-trick in both houses of Parliament — penned with the pride of a fellow traveller who has witnessed the journey up close.
