Manoj Jarange Patil, a name that barely registered in Maharashtra’s political arena until last August, has emerged as a formidable figure whose influence is undeniably palpable in the key Marathwada region. Jarange-Patil’s announcement of fielding candidates who would look after the interests of the Maratha community and his threat of pulling down those leaders opposed to it has thrown leaders of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, particularly the BJP, in a mighty fix.
The ‘Jarange factor’ was undeniably influential in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where candidates from the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Marathwada suffered significant losses. High-profile defeats included those of BJP leaders Raosaheb Danve (Jalna), Pankaja Munde (Beed), and Prataprao Chikhalikar (Nanded). As the Mahayuti still grapples with these electoral shocks, Jarange has cranked up the pressure, warning of fielding candidates across all 288 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections.
His six hunger strikes since August last has ensured the Maratha quota issue is kept burning in public consciousness. Having demonstrated his disruptive capacity in the Lok Sabha election, leaders across party lines are frantically courting Jarange-Patil ahead of the Assembly polls to either seek his support or to plead for restraint in their campaigns.
As he prepares to take a final call on his ‘aspirants’ for the Assembly poll, Jarange-Patil’s aides claim that applications have flooded in from across Maharashtra, including former MLAs and candidates from both ruling and opposition parties. And not just Maratha candidates, but aspirants from reserved constituencies and OBCs as well – all of who are to be scrutinized before a decision is made by the activist on October 20.
Meanwhile, Jarange-Patil continues to target State BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with aggressive rhetoric. Notably, CM Eknath Shinde has managed to remain in the activist’s ‘good books.’
Not just Mahayuti and BJP leaders who are anxious for his support, but those from the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and other parties are scrambling to meet the activist.
In the past two months, several BJP leaders in Marathwada, out of trepidation for Jarange, have met him. Senior Congressman Prithviraj Chavan met him in August, while endorsing his demands. AIMIM leader Imtiyaz Jaleel recently met with Jarange Patil, proposing a potential Muslim-Maratha alliance as a transformative force in the elections.
This courtship of Jarange-Patil is not new: During seat-sharing talks ahead of the Lok Sabha election, Prakash Ambedkar had vexed the leadership of the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) by demanding that Jarange-Patil be permitted to contest from the Jalna Lok Sabha seat.
Despite holding 26 of the 46 Assembly seats in Marathwada, the BJP had come a cropper in the Lok Sabha, underscoring the ferocity of the Maratha agitation backlash and Jarange-Patil’s elemental force in tipping the balance. As the clock ticks to November 20, Jarange-Patil’s authority indisputably looms large over Marathwada, transforming him into a one-man kingmaker capable of influencing the fate of established politicians and parties by banking solely on his influence within the Maratha community.
Comments