Mumbai, 04 November, 2024: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil announced on Monday that he would not support any candidates in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election, reversing his earlier statement that he would back 10 to 15 candidates.
In a press conference, Jarange-Patil said that he would focus solely on holding accountable those who have not served the interests of the Maratha community.
“After much deliberation, I have decided not to field any candidate in the state. The Maratha community will decide on its own whom to defeat and whom to elect,” he stated, clarifying that he has no ties to any political party or candidate.
“I am under no pressure from anyone. The community itself will decide whom to support based on their commitment to the Maratha cause,” he added, insisting that those who have wronged the Maratha community should be taught a lesson at the polls.
Jarange-Patil, who gained national attention during his hunger strike advocating for reservation benefits for Marathas, previously expressed his intention to support candidates opposing MLAs from the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition in the Marathwada region.
This area includes several districts, such as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Beed, and Latur. However, he now believes that the Maratha community should refrain from participating in the elections to avoid potential embarrassment if a candidate fails to win.
“It is not possible to contest and win an election on the strength of one caste. We are new in politics. If we field a candidate and he loses, it will be a shame for the caste. Therefore, I request all the Maratha candidates to withdraw their nomination,” he urged.
Jarange-Patil’s decision to withdraw could benefit the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which includes Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP, by preventing the fragmentation of anti-BJP votes. Maratha votes were critical in the NDA’s disappointing performance in Maharashtra during the recent general elections.
Previously, Jarange-Patil had criticized the Mahayuti government, particularly Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, for failing to deliver on promises regarding Maratha reservations.
“The Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde) had promised us reservation. We pinned our hopes on him, but Fadnavis did not let that happen,” he claimed, alleging that Fadnavis had orchestrated a strategy to deny the Marathas their rightful reservations to benefit OBCs.
In response, Chief Minister Shinde urged Jarange-Patil to recognize the steps taken by the Mahayuti government for the Maratha community.
“During the Dussehra rally, I touched the feet of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue and took an oath… After that, I immediately called a session of the state legislature and gave the Maratha community a 10 percent reservation. However, this issue went to court,” Shinde explained, pointing out that previous reservations granted by Fadnavis also faced legal challenges due to the inaction of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
“Jarange has taken to the streets to get justice for the Maratha community, but he should first consider the actions of the Mahayuti government in the interest of the Maratha community. Now the Maratha community is receiving benefits similar to OBCs. Who facilitated all this?” Shinde asked, defending the government’s record on Maratha issues.
