Dharashiv (Maharashtra): Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil upped the ante against the ruling MahaYuti administration on Tuesday, threatening to “grab power” if the Maratha quotas are not granted.
Speaking with members of the media, Jarange-Patil made it apparent that Maratha organisations would prefer not to get involved in politics or run for office until forced to.
“However, if the state government fails to give us the reservations as assured, then the only option would be to contest the polls and come to power… Then we shall fulfil all our promises to the community,” declared Jarange-Patil.
The head of Shivba Sanghatana, who has been criticising Devendra Fadnavis, the Deputy Chief Minister of the Bharatiya Janata Party, launched yet another barb at him for supposedly impeding the community’s ambitions.
“I call upon the legislators of all political parties to meet and convince him (Fadnavis) on our issue and work out a solution,” urged Jarange-Patil, who has threatened to contest the assembly elections here and defeat the candidates of all other parties in the ruling MahaYuti and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances.
Interestingly, Fadnavis reaffirmed on Monday night that “the Mahayuti government is fully committed to giving the Maratha quotas” in accordance with the law.
Jarange-Patil, without naming any party or leader, said, “Some leaders are deliberately gunning for me to save their parties and political credibility, ” which the Marathas are aware of and will not tolerate.
Presently touring several districts like Dharashiv, Solapur, Beed, Pune, and more, Jarange-Patil and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray—who is in Dharashiv on his independent tour—are likely to have a meeting, though both sides have refused to confirm it.
On Monday, Raj Thackeray kicked up a huge political row by saying there is no need for quotas in Maharashtra if 100 percent of jobs are given to locals. Certain Maratha groups staged a sit-in protest outside his hotel on Monday night, and even Jarange-Patil slammed him.
This morning, Raj Thackeray said he had told Jarange-Patil the same thing earlier and claimed, “I may be misunderstood now, but my words will prove correct in the future.”
–IANS
