HOURS after vowing to take “revenge” against the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra by backing more than 25 candidates in the upcoming Assembly elections, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Monday decided to withdraw from the election fray. The BJP and the Shiv Sena welcomed the move.
“We have decided not to contest the elections. I have asked aspirants to withdraw their nominations… I have told my community that this is not our family business, we might be misled,” Jarange-Patil told reporters in Antarwali-Saraati in Jalna district on Monday. He also denied that he was taking the decision under duress. “There is no pressure on me,” he said.
Jarange-Patil said he decided to withdraw as he had not received the list of candidates from friendly parties. “We cannot contest elections on the basis of one party. Even a party like the BJP needed support from two other parties to run,” he emphasised.
Stating that he has not extended support to any Independent candidate or political parties, Jarange-Patil also said he would not direct the Maratha community to defeat candidates. “I do not want to direct the Maratha community to defeat any candidates… The community has to take a decision in this regard,” he said.
Jarange-Patil’s turnaround came barely hours after he held a press conference at around 11 pm on Sunday, saying he would take revenge against the BJP-led Mahayuti for denying the Maratha community the benefit of reservation. Jarange-Patil had also said that he would declare the names of the 25 candidates he was planning to back on Monday morning.
“We have decided to field candidates in 25 Assembly seats. Our candidates will have the support of the Maratha, Muslim and Dalit communities. We have finished discussions on 25 seats and a discussion on the remaining 11 constituencies is underway,” Jarange-Patil had said.
Breaking down at the press conference, he had also vowed to act against the ruling parties for “humiliating” and “cheating” the Maratha community on the issue of reservation. “Nobody has cheated the Maratha community like the current rulers have done. They have brazenly cheated us, humiliated us and troubled us,” Jarange-Patil had said. “We will take revenge, we will send the ruling parties packing,” he added.
On Monday, BJP spokesperson Pravin Darekar said the decision was sensible. “The election turf is a complicated place…He is making the right decision,” he said. The Sena also welcomed the decision.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.
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