Maharashtra polls: Jarange-Patil to field candidates in some seats, back those for quota cause

Mumbai: In a major development, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil has announced that he will field candidates from select seats for the upcoming assembly poll. He will also extend support to candidates who support the Maratha quota cause by pledging the same in writing on stamp paper.

“I will not contest the election myself but will field candidates based on demands from the Maratha community. Candidates will be fielded only from those seats where they are confident of their victory,” Jarange-Patil said in Jalna on Sunday afternoon, after holding a community meeting at his village Antarwali Sarathi. He also directed Marathas not to contest from seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) and instead support SC and ST candidates irrespective of their political inclination.

Jarange-Patil’s decision could deal a big blow to the MVA, which garnered a large share of Maratha votes in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. Votes of the Maratha community are likely to be split in at least 46 seats in Marathwada where he has maximum influence.

When the meeting in Antarwali Sarathi commenced on Sunday, Jarange-Patil asked community members if they wanted to play the role of a spoiler in the polls by defeating prominent candidates or field candidates themselves. When a majority voiced their support for the second option, he said, “I suggest contesting polls only on those seats where we are sure of victory,” drawing a large cheer from the crowd.

“I will study the seats in which our candidates will not require any help, where they can win on their own,” he said, urging aspiring candidates to start filing nominations as independents. The candidaets would have to withdraw from the fray if he asked them to, he said, noting, “Those who will not follow instructions will be on their own.”

“Do not contest from seats where we cannot win. Instead, support candidates who publicly support our stand (for implementing a Maratha quota) by giving it to us in writing on stamp paper,” he further told the gatering.

Jarange-Patil emerged as a prominent name in state politics early this year, after holding a series of hunger strikes and a march from Jalna to Mumbai seeking reservation for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota. He rallied his community and forced the state government to issue Kunbi certificates to those who possessed the requisite documents and later pass a law granting 10% reservation to Marathas in government jobs and education.