MUMBAI: After Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s aggressive appeasement of the Maratha community and his efforts to include them in the OBC category, the BJP’s RSS-backed OBC vote bank has been significantly affected. This vote bank had been systematically nurtured over the years in opposition to the Maratha community.
Shinde has gone the extra mile to appease the Marathas. “This has not been done by any CM in the past, even though some of them belonged to the Maratha community. A balance was maintained to preserve social harmony, ensuring that individuals in constitutional positions did not show bias toward any particular community,” said a political observer.
However, Shinde is in a hurry to strengthen his position and reduce the influence of his opponents in both the government and opposition. Therefore, he took the oath at the Shivaji Maharaj statue during his Azad Maidan rally and pledged to provide reservations to Marathas at any cost and under any condition. But in doing so, he has disturbed the core vote bank of the BJP, which is the OBC community,” he added.
He added that OBCs are feeling insecure after the state government issued a draft notification granting Kunbi Certificates to Marathas, whose Sage Soyere are recorded as Kunbi in revenue and education records.
“This move has expanded the definition of Kunbi and provided a backdoor entry for Marathas into the socially and economically dominant caste, which plays a central role in rural and state politics. According to various Supreme Court judgments and the findings of central and state government-appointed backward commissions, Marathas are considered a forward caste, akin to Brahmins, and therefore, are not eligible for reservations.
However, Shinde’s decision to include Sage Soyere in the draft notification may open the floodgates for Marathas to claim Kunbi status and obtain OBC certificates for their children to secure their future in education and government jobs.
Smaller OBC communities are concerned and worried about the future of their children in education and government employment. They fear being left out in the fierce competition and are feeling alienated in the current Maratha-dominated caste politics.
Over the years, they have supported the BJP because it was seen as a force against the Marathas and as a party that provided opportunities for OBCs. However, the current developments are causing concern among them,” he added.
Earlier, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that OBCs are the backbone of the BJP and that they would not allow the Marathas to encroach upon the reservation rights of the OBCs. “But CM Eknath Shinde has overridden Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP’s plan to consolidate his position as a leader among the Marathas. Shinde used the Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s agitation for Maratha reservations as an opportunity to improve his image and remove labels of being a traitor.
‘To strengthen position’
A political observer said Shinde is in a hurry to strengthen his position and reduce the influence of his opponents in both the government and opposition. Therefore, he took the oath at the Shivaji Maharaj statue during his Azad Maidan rally and pledged to provide reservations to Marathas at any cost and under any condition. But in doing so, he has disturbed the core vote bank of the BJP, which is the OBC community.