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 more infants die, toll in Jhansi medical college fire rises to 17
Jhansi (UP) (PTI): Two more infants rescued from a fire that ripped through the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College here have died, taking the total toll in the blaze to 17, a senior official said on Sunday.
Thirty-nine newborns were rescued from a devastating fire in the medical college hospital's neonatal intensive care unit on the night of November 15.
Dr Narendra Singh Sengar, the medical college's principal, told PTI that of the 39 infants rescued, two more died on Saturday.
While 10 babies died on the night of the fire, the remainder succumbed to their "illnesses", he said.
A post-mortem of the two bodies was done on Saturday and the cause of death was confirmed as "illness" in both cases. The bodies have been handed over to the family members, Sengar said.
The birth weight of both infants was 800 grams and one of them also had a hole in the heart, he added.
Meanwhile, Congress sources said on Sunday that the party's state chief Ajay Rai and Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia would travel to Jhansi and visit the medical college. They will also meet the families whose babies died in the fire.
