BJP MLA terms Sharad Pawar ‘Shakuni mama’, accuses him of deceiving Maratha community
The Hindu
Former Maharashtra Minister Babanrao Lonikar accuses Sharad Pawar of deceiving Maratha community on reservation issue, sparking political tensions.
Former Maharashtra Minister and BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar has labelled NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar as ‘Shakuni mama’, referencing the Mahabharata character often seen as wicked and shrewd. He also accused Mr. Pawar of deceiving the Maratha community on the reservation issue.
“Sharad Pawar has deceived the Maratha community by not granting reservation to it. In 2018, the BJP government had given reservation to this community, but it could not sustain in the Supreme Court. As asked by Mr. Sharad Pawar, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray hired senior lawyer Kapil Sibal to fight the case in the apex court. But Mr. Sibal’s involvement led to the government facing rejection in the case,” Mr. Lonikar told a party workers’ meeting at Partur in Jalna district.
Also Read | Maratha quota: Jarange-Patil warns of defeating all leaders who oppose Maratha interests in Assembly polls
In 2021, the Supreme Court struck down Maharashtra’s Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, which granted reservation to the Maratha community, citing violations of the 50% limit on reservation. At present, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil has been vociferously demanding quota for his community by inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Recently, he indicated a decision on July 20 regarding a meeting of Maratha leaders to determine whether the community will field 288 candidates in the Assembly elections or organise a protest march in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, former Home Minister and MLA Anil Deshmukh said some BJP legislators were interested in joining the NCP (SP).
He said the switch to the Sharad Pawar-led outfit had started in the form of ex-corporators, referring to the resignation of Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad unit chief Ajit Gavhane and two former corporators on Wednesday. “MLAs from the NCP will also return. However, Sharad Pawar will decide who will be taken into the NCP (SP),” Mr. Deshmukh said.
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