Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar has called on both the Maharashtra and Union governments to address the contentious Maratha quota issue, endorsing potential measures including an increase to the 50 percent reservation ceiling.
In a statement on Monday, Pawar urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to organize an all-party meeting to tackle the ongoing Maratha quota dispute. He also called on the Central Government to consider removing the 50 percent cap on reservations, asserting that the ceiling limit could be revised with unified support from all political factions.
“The judiciary has set a 50 percent limit on reservations, but if this poses a problem, all parties in the state should collaborate to persuade the Centre to lift the cap. The Centre has the authority to adjust these limits, and we will fully support such a move if it garners broad-based backing,” Pawar declared.
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Pawar’s comments resonate with those made last week by Shiv Sena (UBT) President and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who faced criticism from his Mahayuti allies for similar views.
Highlighting the precedent set by Tamil Nadu, which once implemented a 76 percent quota before the imposition of the 50 percent ceiling, Pawar noted that the issue now rests solely with the Central Government.
Opposition Capacity
Pawar also urged Chief Minister Shinde to invite Manoj Jarange-Patil, the leader of Shivba Sanghatana who has been vocal about the Maratha quota demands, to the proposed all-party meeting. He emphasized the importance of including leaders from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) as well, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ready to participate in an opposition capacity.
In response, Chief Minister Shinde confirmed ongoing consultations with Sharad Pawar regarding potential solutions to the protracted quota issue, which has stirred political unrest in Maharashtra.
“Maintaining social harmony is crucial. If we fail to address these concerns now, the consequences could be unpredictable,” Pawar caution.
When asked if Jarange-Patil should run for the Assembly elections on the Maratha quota issue, Pawar refrained from commenting directly, instead noting, “In a democracy, everyone has the right to contest elections and seek votes.”
Jarange-Patil has warned that if the government does not fulfill the Maratha quota demands, he and his supporters might not only oppose candidates from the Mahayuti and MVA but could also field their own candidates in all 288 Assembly constituencies in an effort to gain political power.
