Fadnavis apologises for cop action on Marathas
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Home Minister, tends to measure his words when speaking on any subject. He was compelled to eat the humble pie over police lathicharge, air and tear gas firing to Maratha protests in Jalna. Fadnavis had earlier defended the police actions – lathicharge against Maratha protests — and refused to apologise and resign as HM. But when the matter got out of hand and the fear of losing 35% Maratha vote bank ahead of key elections spread, top BJP leadership asked Fadnavis to eat his word and extend an apology to the Maratha community.
Cong MLA in a fix over remark on Maratha stir
Maharashtra Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar got himself into trouble over his habit of giving quotes to the media. This time, it was over the Maratha protest and their inclusion in the OBC category. State Congress chief Nana Patole snubbed him and clarified that the Congress party is in favour of giving reservations to the Maratha community, but they should not be given reservations under OBCs but should have separate quotas. Wadettiwar’s media byte over the OBC reservation has already been submitted to the party's high command for further action.
Sharad Pawar begins ‘Berjeche Rajkaran’
After a big leadership void, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has started the Berjeche Rajkaran – caste arithmetic that used to be performed by the first chief minister of Maharashtra Yashwantrao Chavan successfully. Pawar seems to be mending his third-generation leadership grooming lapses by appointing advocate Rohini Khadse as president of NCP’s state women wing. Khade is the daughter of senior leader Eknath Khadse. She belongs to the Leva community caste that is decisive in seven state assembly constituencies in Jalgaon and two Lok Sabha constituencies while it is also significant in some parts of Maharashtra.
Sudhir Suryawanshi
Our correspondent in Maharashtra
suryawanshi.sudhir@gmail.com