Mumbai: Maratha chief Manoj Jarange-Patil stated Saturday that he would neither area any candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections nor help any political get together — a U-turn from his earlier hints that he was contemplating propping up some Maratha candidates as Independents.
Chatting with the media at his Antarwali Sarathi village in Maharashtra’s Jalna, Jarange-Patil, who emerged because the face of the Maratha protest for reservation final yr when he went on a starvation strike for it, indicated that whereas he had determined in opposition to fielding candidates this time, he was nonetheless open to the thought for the meeting elections to be held later this yr.
Maharashtra will vote for its 48 parliamentary seats in 5 phases from 19 April to twenty Might.
“According to the reports we received from villages, we have concluded that there’s no need to field (independent) candidates,” he stated. “It is left to the community to decide whom to help defeat and whom to vote. We have no business speaking about politics and elections, but a decision had to be taken since there were recommendations (to fight the election) from (Marathas in) villages”.
These remarks mark a major departure from his remarks made final week. Addressing a gathering on 24 March, the Maratha chief requested his caste kinsmen to assist select candidates for the polls.
Jarange-Patil’s choice could possibly be a setback for Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr B.R. Ambedkar whose Dalit outfit Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) had sought an alliance with the Maratha chief for the elections.
ThePrint has reached Ambedkar through calls and textual content messages. This report shall be up to date if and when a response is obtained.
Marathas are estimated to make up a major 33 % of the state’s inhabitants, and, in accordance with Jarange-Patil, maintain sway over 17-18 Lok Sabha seats.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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