Is the Maratha versus OBC consolidation real in Marathwada?

On the inheritance of Manoj Jarange Patil’s question for inclusion of the Marathas successful the OBC community, Kharwa feels this slogan would assistance them execute a pan-OBC consolidation.

When Jarange Patil started his question to see the Marathas wrong the OBC category, helium had faced backlash from astir each established OBC leaders. As Maharashtra goes to ballot connected November 20, the disagreement betwixt the Marathas and the OBCs is thing that has everyone guessing.

For the Mahayuti, particularly the BJP, the consolidation of OBC votes is thing they anticipation would assistance antagonistic an evident Maratha consolidation, particularly successful the Marathwada region- the epicenter of Jarange Patil’s movement. Even NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) Maharashtra main Jayant Patil, successful an interrogation with The Indian Express, said Beed has seen specified polarization which helium said was fueled by the BJP.

On crushed signs of consolidation mightiness not beryllium precise disposable but Maratha younker did not shy distant from talking astir their disappointment erstwhile Jarange Patil announced helium would not tract candidates successful the upcoming elections. Mangesh Kadam, from Wanjarkheda colony successful Latur, said they were each acceptable to enactment for the campaigner supported by Jarange Patil.

“He was from the adjacent village. We would person fixed the contiguous MLA (Dhiraj Deshmukh—the Congress MLA from Latur rural) a bully fight. But erstwhile Dada (as Jarange Patil is known among his followers) asked america to retreat the forms, we did so,” helium said. Kadam is not precise forthcoming astir whom helium is going to ballot for – each helium says is that Dada has asked them to decision those who were against the preservation of Marathas.

Laxman More, from Sonkhed colony successful Nanded, was 1 of the galore candidates who filed his information astatine the behest of Jarange Patil. When Jarange Patil asked his radical to instrumentality backmost their nomination, More did arsenic directed and decided to enactment for autarkic campaigner Sanjay Ghogare.

“Ghogare was with the BJP but resigned erstwhile Jarange Patil called his agitation. He is moving for the Maratha community,” said More. Asked if this predetermination would spot a Maratha versus OBC consolidation, More replies successful the negative. “We person not antagonized immoderate one- we are asking for our rights,” helium said.

A much nuanced mentation has been offered by an Congress OBC person who felt successful places wherever parties person fielded OBC candidates, the part tin beryllium felt.

Sourabh Hatkar, a PhD student from the University of Edinburgh, opined against an OBC consolidation. “OBC is simply a wide umbrella term, which person galore sub-castes nether it. At the contiguous condition, immoderate consolidation looks difficult,” helium said.

Hatkar talked astir assembly constituencies successful Nashik wherever aggregate OBC leaders are facing each different successful the conflict of the ballot. In immoderate constituencies similar Nandgaon, wherever Sameer Bhujbal, the nephew of NCP (Ajit Pawar) curate Chhagan is contesting arsenic an independent, Hatkar said different OBC candidates had met Jarange Patil to inquire for his support. “Thus, wide a wide OBC consolidation seems a spot acold fetched. It tin hap astatine immoderate places but it would beryllium mostly local,” helium said.

Hatkar, who is the laminitis of the enactment called Medhpal Putra Army (Army of Sons of Sepherds), is from the Dhangar assemblage which successful Maharashtra is classified nether the Vimukta Jati and Nomadic tribes. This community, which makes up implicit 10 per cent of Maharashtra’s population, Hatkar said was near without a cardinal enactment this time. “So astir of them would ballot arsenic per the section conditions,” helium said.