Manoj Jarange threatens election strategy disclosure if Maratha quota demands go unmet

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Activist Manoj Jarange declared on Wednesday that if the Maharashtra government does not respond to the Maratha community's demands for a reservation quota, he will unveil his election strategy within 48 hours of the code of conduct coming into effect.

In an interview with PTI, Jarange emphasized that if his supporters choose to contest the upcoming assembly elections, they will do so independently without forming alliances, although their goal will be to unseat the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP coalition. "We are waiting for the code of conduct... Once it is in place, if our demands remain unaddressed, we will roll out our strategy for the assembly elections," he stated. "I will not let the ruling coalition sleep," he added, noting his year-long series of fasts to advocate for Maratha reservation.

Jarange claimed to have prepared a detailed plan to either contest the elections or to target candidates from the ruling parties. He criticized Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's assertion that 80 percent of the issues had been resolved regarding seat sharing, countering that "80 percent of their work has been spoiled."

When questioned about his assertion that the Maratha community plans to target candidates from the ruling coalition in 113 constituencies, Jarange confirmed, "We have a list of 113 candidates whom we aim to defeat if the Maratha quota issue is not resolved. However, we will not enter into alliances with anyone. If we decide to contest, our candidates will run independently."

Reflecting on the BJP's recent hat-trick victory in the Haryana assembly polls, Jarange noted that issues differ significantly from state to state. "In Haryana, it seems everyone voted for the BJP. However, the BJP has a history of abandoning those who help it once it attains power. Here, we face the ongoing issue of the Maratha community," he explained.

Jarange emphasized the significance of the Maratha community in Maharashtra, claiming that they constitute about 55 percent of the population. "There are at least one lakh Maratha voters in almost every constituency. We have the capability to defeat candidates," he warned.