Maharashtra polls: Withdrawal from poll fray strategic: Manoj Jarange-Patil, tells HT

Jarange-Patil has actively campaigned against the Mahayuti alliance, contributing to its losses across Marathwada, parts of Vidarbha and Western Maharashtra.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarage-Patil said his decision to withdraw from the Maharashtra assembly polls was taken in the interest of the community and not under pressure from any leader. In an interview to Surendra P Gangan, he spoke about a range of issues pertaining to the Maratha reservation demand and the November 20 elections. Edited excerpts:

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil. (Praful Gangurde/ HT Photo)

You withdrew from the assembly polls all of a sudden. What went wrong?

I realised that other communities such as Dalits and Muslims were not with us... Had we lost by fighting as Marathas, the self-respect of the community would have taken a major hit. It would have been a major setback, and so the decision to withdraw from the fray was strategic.

You described not fielding any candidates as a guerrilla tactic. How is it so?

Withdrawing from the poll fray was not a guerrilla tactic. It will begin now and we will show our strength in the near future.

What will be your strategy for the next few days? Will you be campaigning?

Politics is not our bread and butter – it is like the pickle in a meal. We will continue to fight for reservation as it is our main cause. I will concentrate on the movement.

I will meet people but I’m not going to campaign for or against anybody or hold street-corner meetings like I did during the Lok Sabha polls. There is no need for that now, as the message has been conveyed to everyone that we have to defeat candidates who oppose our reservation demand. However, some people are spreading misinformation to create confusion and so I will address my community members tomorrow (Monday) and reiterate our stand regarding the assembly polls.

It is being said you decided to withdraw from the polls under pressure from a political leader.

Nobody can direct me what to do. We don’t care about the Mahayuti or the Maha Vikas Aghadi. For me, the community is supreme and it will take an appropriate decision.

Who opposed reservation for Marathas?

Who else but Devendra Fadnavis. He lathi-charged Maratha women protesters, added 17 new castes within the OBC quota, and sent his close aide to court to ensure the reservation given to us during his stint as chief minister was struck down. Not all BJP leaders are as bad, but we are against the party.

The incumbent government is headed by chief minister Eknath Shinde, but you blame only Fadnavis. Why?

Everybody knows all decisions are taken by Fadnavis and nothing happens without his consent in the government.

Even MNS chief Raj Thackeray has spoken against you, saying the quota demand was untenable.

I have warned him not to speak against us as he does not understand anything about quota and he would not understand our plight. We are not against him or his politics, but he should not poke his nose in our matter.

Are you still demanding blanket reservation for Marathas within the OBC quota?

There is no need to add Marathas to the OBC quota. Instead, we are demanding that OBC certificates be issued based on the 5.7 million Kunbi records found by the government. The certificates will automatically entitle us to the OBC quota.

You are accused of changing your stand frequently…

First of all, I never change my stand. But even if I do so, what is wrong in it. If you have learnt about your defeat by treading on one path, there is no harm in stepping back and moving ahead at the right time. I am working in the interest of my community and I cannot push them into a difficult situation just to prove my stand right.

Your opposition to the BJP and OBCs helps the ruling party consolidate the latter in its favour.

I don’t think ordinary OBCs will stand by the ruling alliance as even they have realised that the government has been cheating them. The government has added 17 new castes to the OBC category while Dhangars have been fooled and not given any reservation. Farmers (most of them are OBCs) are also against the government.

Don’t you think women are happy with the government because of the Ladki Bahin scheme?

The amount of ₹1,500 does not help in any way if compared with inflation. Prices of everything including gas cylinder, food grains, fertilisers, and fuel have risen multi-fold, making it difficult for people to make ends meet.