Maharashtra polls: Jarange takes U-turn, says won't back any party or candidate
Jalna (Maharashtra) (PTI): Taking a U-turn, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday said he will not support any contestant or party in the Maharashtra assembly polls and asked his supporters who had filed nominations to withdraw their candidature.
Monday is the last day for withdrawing nominations. The state assembly elections will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.
Jarange's decision not to participate in the electoral process marks a notable shift from his earlier strategy, as he had identified certain constituencies where he intended to support or oppose some candidates.
Speaking to reporters at Antarwali Sarathi village here on Monday morning, Jarange said, "After much deliberation, I have decided not to field any candidate in the state. The Maratha community will decide on its own whom to defeat and whom to elect. I have no affiliation to or support for any candidate or political party."
The activist asserted he was not under any pressure from the ruling Mahayuti or the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
"I am under no pressure from anyone. The community itself will decide whom to support based on their commitment to the Maratha cause," he said, while encouraging voters to seek commitments in written or video forms from candidates pledging to support the interests of Marathas.
Expressing faith in his community's influence over the elections, Jarange remarked, "No one can be elected in this state without the support of Marathas."
He urged the Maratha community members not to attend any political rally and not be swayed by any party.
"Those who have wronged or harassed the Maratha community should be taught a lesson through the ballot," he said.
Jarange reaffirmed his commitment to secure reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category and said his struggle for the quota would continue.
The activist on Sunday announced he would support two candidates from Parvati and Daund in the state assembly polls, though he said their names will be disclosed later.
The two seats are currently held by the BJP, which Jarange has often accused of opposing Maratha reservations.
Jarange had earlier said he would support candidates in Phulambri, Kannad (in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Hingoli, Pathari (in Parbhani) and Hadgaon (in Nanded).
He had also claimed he would work to defeat sitting MLAs of Bhokardan (in Jalna), Gangapur (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Kalamnuri (Hingoli), Gangakhed and Jintur (in Parbhani) and Ausa in Latur. These MLAs are from the Mahayuti government.
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Two highway robbers shot at in Hubballi during spot inspection
Hubballi (Karnataka), Nov 24: Two suspected robbers were shot at on Sunday when they tried to escape from police as they were taken for a spot inspection, Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said.
The incident happened when they were taken to a spot, in the outskirts of Hubbali, where they allegedly waylaid a car and looted money couple of weeks ago. Police took them there to make them describe the alleged crime.
The two alleged robbers Bharath and Farooq from Mangaluru were shot in their leg when they assaulted three police officers including two women police officers, Shashikumar told PTI.
He said the police officers shot them in self defence. According to him, the gang had waylaid a car on November 8 and decamped with Rs 7 lakh. Investigation led to the arrest of Bharath and Farooq and subsequently some amount was recovered from them, he added.
The Police Commissioner said the injured are being treated at Hubballi KIMS Hospital. Farooq, he said, has more than 17 cases registered against him in various police stations. There were cases registered against him in other states as well.
Bharat too has many criminal cases against him in various police stations in the state, Shashikumar said.
