MUMBAI: Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil intensified his confrontation with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday by releasing a purported audio clip in which a woman allegedly claimed the BJP gave Shinde Rs 500 crore to pacify Jarange Patil and the Maratha community ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The woman further alleged that Dr Shrikant Shinde routed the money to Jarange Patil.
The audio clip alleges that the BJP paid Rs 500 crore to Jarange Patil through Eknath Shinde’s son, Dr Shrikant Shinde, a Lok Sabha MP, to silence Patil and weaken his agitation for Maratha reservation. Jarange Patil clarified that he had neither received any money nor agreed to abandon his movement.
At a press conference, Jarange Patil played an audio recording he claimed captured conversations about ways to counter his political influence and undermine his agitation's credibility. In the clip, a woman allegedly says the BJP is uncertain about the extent of Jarange Patil’s support in the state elections but has paid him Rs 500 crore through Dr Shrikant Shinde.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP and Shiv Sena lost badly in Maharashtra, out of a total of 48 seats; they won only 16 seats, while the opposition, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) had won 31 seats, and one seat was won by the NCP. BJP and Shiv Sena feared losing the Maharashtra state polls in 2024; therefore, through erstwhile chief minister Eknath Shinde, they gave Rs 500 crore to Jarange Patil to pacify him and win back the Maratha community votes that went against them in the Lok Sabha polls.
The recording also reportedly contains discussions about countering the activist’s political narrative, mobilising leaders to criticise him, and using social media content to challenge his campaign.
Jarange Patil alleged that attempts were being made to weaken the Maratha movement and create divisions within the community. He called on the state leadership to take the allegations seriously and ensure that the matter was investigated.
However, the authenticity of the recording, the identities of the speakers, and the context of the alleged conversation have not been independently established. The allegations contained in the clip, therefore, remain unverified.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has rejected allegations of a Rs 500 crore deal and said he is ready for any probe. Shinde said he had neither given nor received Rs 500 crore from the BJP.
Shinde questioned the basis of Jarange Patil’s claims and asked him to verify the information before making such serious accusations. Shinde also challenged the activist to submit any evidence he possessed to the appropriate authorities so that the truth could emerge.
The controversy began after Jarange Patil raised the Rs 500-crore allegation at his Dussehra rally in Narayangad, Beed district, earlier this week. He claimed that senior political leaders had informed him that Shinde had allegedly told BJP leaders about the payment.
Jarange Patil questioned whether Shinde made such a claim to the BJP leadership and whether the alleged money was routed through his son. He later said he had evidence and would disclose it at an appropriate time.
Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam questioned why Jarange Patil had waited so long to release the recording if it was genuine. He also claimed the clip appeared to involve BJP leaders and demanded clarity on its contents and context.
Kadam further alleged that the controversy could be part of an attempt to create friction between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. His remarks added another dimension to the growing political dispute over the recording.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had called for an investigation into the allegations, including examination by the appropriate investigative agencies.
