Talking to newsmen here at Ravi Bhavan on Wednesday, Gavai refused to comment on the reported tussle over the organisational elections. He denied to talk about the holding of a parallel convention by the Prakash Ambedkar faction at Nanded in Marathwada region in October.

While Gavai made it clear that he would not contest the coveted post, his close associate and general secretary of the organisation, Ramdas Athawale, announced that he would contest the election for the post.

``I urge everybody to maintain unity within the party,'' he said and pointed out that Ambedkarites in the state wanted a united RPI in the wake of the astounding in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections.

According to the RPI president, he was ready to accept the majority decision of the party presidium regarding appointment of the chief of the organisation. ``Wehave ten members in the party presidium. Even if six members of the presidium select anyone I am ready to accept him,'' he said, and pointed out that such a formula was given by the Election Commission itself. ``If the party maintains its unity the political equation of the coming state elections will be totally different,'' he said.

Gavai, who has come here from Amravati this morning, rushed to the flood-affected areas of Nagpur, Bhandara, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. The flood-affected people are not getting any help from the State Government and hence the RPI would apprise Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee of the situation and request and his immediate intervention.

``Now my first priority would be to provide help to the flood-hit. I will not leave the region till I have personally visited all the affected villages,'' he further declared.

Gavai was accompanied by other senior party leaders.