Maratha quota: Met CM Shinde, have urged him to call for all-party meeting on issue, says Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar. File Pic

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said that he recently met Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to discuss the Maratha quota and urged him to call for an all-party meeting on the issue, the ANI reported.

During their meeting, Sharad Pawar suggested that the Chief Minister should convene an all-party meeting to address the reservation matter. Pawar assured that the NCP would participate cooperatively in such a meeting. He expressed confidence that the Chief Minister would agree to this proposal.

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Sharad Pawar highlighted that the importance of including leaders from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community in the discussions. He believes that finding a solution to the reservation issue requires a united approach from all political parties.

According to the ANI, Sharad Pawar said, "Recently I met Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to discuss Maratha Reservation issue...I told him that he should call an all-party meeting on the reservation issue. We will also remain present, our stand will be cooperative...I am sure CM will call an all-party meeting. Leaders from OBC should also be invited and we should try to find a solution on this issue unanimously. The central government has the right to give reservations above 50%. Therefore if it takes a positive step towards this issue, we will co-operate with them."

Maratha quota: Mahayuti, MVA not serious about community's demands, says Manoj Jarange

Meanwhile, last month Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Mahayuti and opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alleging that they were not serious about addressing the Maratha community's demands over reservation, reported the PTI.

The BJP leaders are 'cunning', while MVA leaders are not being assertive enough in their support, Jarange said.

"Both are not serious about providing reservation to the Maratha community. Marathas have been voting for them. Now, we will see them (in polls)," said Manoj Jarange, according to the PTI.

The activist has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as 'sage soyare' (blood relatives) of Maratha community members and granting reservation to the latter under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

Kunbis, an agrarian community, get quota benefits under the OBC category. However, OBC members have stressed that their quota should not be diluted.

(with ANI and PTI inputs)