Jalna/Mumbai: Activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday asked the Maratha community to prepare for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls, saying it has no option but to get political power if it wants reservation in government jobs and education.
He asserted Marathas, who account for more than 30 per cent of the state's population, Muslims and Dalits would bring about a significant change after the state elections, comparable to the "wave" seen in the recent Lok Sabha polls, where the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) put up an impressive show.
Speaking to mediapersons at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, the site of his multiple hunger strikes, Jarange expressed confidence Marathas would come to power in the state after the elections due in October.
The ruling BJP hit out at the 42-year-old activist, saying he always harboured political ambitions and has been hiding behind the Maratha quota demand.
Jarange maintained although he does not wish to enter politics, the necessity to secure reservation for the Maratha community might compel him to do so.
The activist has been demanding reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, though the state government enacted a law in February to provide them a 10 per cent quota under a separate category. However, OBC leaders, including cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal, have opposed any dilution of the existing quota for backward communities.
"We have no option but to enter politics and come to power if we want to get reservation for the Maratha community," Jarange stated.
He urged aspiring candidates to prepare for the elections, hinting that a decision regarding their political entry would be made at a meeting to be held on August 29.
The activist predicted that new faces would emerge victorious.
While leaders are affiliated to their respective parties, "the common people are with us," he claimed.
Jarange accused Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of inciting Maratha leaders against him.
He alleged Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, had orchestrated a campaign against the Maratha quota, and claimed some leaders of the community, at the deputy CM's behest, were trying to undermine the efforts to seek reservation.
Jarange also accused BJP leaders of attempting to incite communal riots, but asserted the Maratha community would thwart it.
"We will foil the efforts of Fadnavis to create unrest in the state. Maharashtra is a peaceful state where people of all religions and castes live harmoniously," he insisted.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, BJP leader and MLC Pravin Darekar hit out at Jarange, saying he just wants to keep the emotive issue of Maratha quota issue alive till the assembly polls and is no longer raising concerns of his community.
"Jarange is not anymore talking about issues faced by the Maratha community. He just wants to keep the (quota) issue alive till the state assembly elections. Before Jarange (came into limelight), the Maratha community took out huge rallies across the state, and there was no single leader to lead them. Many Marathas are now feeling uneasy with Jarange's changed stance," Darekar maintained.
Jarange shot to fame in August-September last year when he launched his first indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village in support of the Maratha quota demand.
His protests mobilised the community and the quota stir was seen as one of the reasons for the ruling coalition Mahayuti's poor show in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra. Mahayuti (grand alliance), consisting of the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and deputy CM Ajit Pawar-headed NCP, won just 17 of the 48 seats in contrast to 30 bagged by the opposition MVA.
Darekar said, "Jarange mobilised the poor Maratha people around him, but his political ambition is now coming out. He should not play with the feelings of the Maratha community." The BJP legislator maintained the activist is no longer insisting on all-party support for his Maratha quota demand.
"The Maratha community trusted Jarange when he was demanding quota for them. He should not hurt their feelings. He is no longer talking about all parties coming together to address the issue," Darekar argued.
The BJP leader said Jarange always harboured political ambitions, but hid behind the quota demand.
Jarange has been facing repeated attacks from the BJP in the last few weeks after he targeted their senior leader Fadnavis.
Several BJP leaders have made critical remarks against the activist, questioning his understanding of the quota issue and his refusal to acknowledge that Fadnavis, during his tenure as chief minister (2014-19), got a law passed providing Marathas reservation in education and government jobs.
However, in 2021, the Supreme Court struck down the Maratha quota law.