Jarange-Patil: If Maratha quotas not granted, then sole option is to grab power

Dharashiv (Maharashtra): Upping the ante against the ruling MahaYuti government, Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil warned on Tuesday that if the Maratha quotas are not given, “then the only option left would be to grab power”.

Interacting with media persons, Jarange-Patil made it clear that the Maratha groups do not want to enter politics or contest the elections unless they are compelled to do so.

“However, if the state government fails to give us the reservations as assured, then the only option open to us would be to contest the polls and come to power… Then we shall fulfil all our promises to the community,” declared Jarange-Patil.

The Shivba Sanghatana chief, who has been targeting Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, took another potshot at him for allegedly blocking the community’s aspirations.

“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 not only contest the assembly elections here but also defeat the candidates of all other parties in the ruling MahaYuti and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances.

Incidentally, on Monday evening, Fadnavis reiterated his stance that “the Mahayuti government is fully committed to giving the Maratha quotas” within the legal framework.

Jarange-Patil, without naming any party or leader, said that “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 saying that there is no need for quotas in Maharashtra if 100 per cent jobs are given to locals, and 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 that “I may be misunderstood now, but my words will prove correct in future”.

–IANS

qn/uk