Maratha quota stir: Govt delegation to hold talks with Jarange, says minister
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Saturday said that a government delegation has been deputed to hold talks with Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who is staging an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan.
Talking to reporters after a meeting of the cabinet sub-committee, the state water resources minister said issues raised by Jarange were discussed in detail and the government is committed to resolving them positively.
Jarange has been seeking a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He has demanded that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis — an agrarian caste included in the OBC category — which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education.
Vikhe Patil said that the delegation headed by Justice Sandeep Shinde (retired) will hold talks with Jarange.
Justice Shinde heads the high-level committee constituted to scrutinise Kunbi records of the Maratha community.
The minister further said, "We have discussed with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding complaints of lack of water and sanitation for protesters, and the issue is being resolved."
Protesters gathered for the agitation at Azad Maidan have complained about the lack of basic amenities at the venue.
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BJP will form govt in Bengal with thumping majority: Nabin
Mirzapur (UP) (PTI): BJP president Nitin Nabin on Wednesday voiced confidence that his party will form the government in West Bengal with a "thumping majority".
Polling is underway for 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, covering key districts, including Kolkata, Howrah and North and South 24 Parganas.
The high-stakes contest is being seen as decisive for the ruling TMC's bid for a fourth consecutive term and the BJP's push to form its first government in the state. The first phase held on April 23 recorded a high voter turnout of over 93 per cent, reflecting intense electoral engagement.
Speaking to reporters in Mirzapur, Nabin said, "The BJP will form the government in Bengal. We are winning the elections with a massive majority."
Earlier in the day, the BJP chief visited the Vindhyavasini temple and offered prayers. The rituals were conducted by his priest Acharya Agastya Kumar Dwivedi.
On his first visit to the district after assuming office, Nabin was welcomed by party workers at several places. At the temple, he was received by city MLA Ratnakar Mishra and District Magistrate Pawan Kumar Gangwar, who felicitated him with a traditional 'angvastram'.
After offering prayers for about 10 minutes amid Vedic chants, Nabin held a meeting at a hotel with local MLAs, including Mishra, Majhwan MLA Suchismita Maurya and Madihan MLA Ramashankar Patel.
Patel said Nabin emphasised strengthening the organisation and asked public representatives to focus on serving people in their respective constituencies.
Several party leaders, including district president Lal Bahadur Saroj, district vice-president Gaurav Umar, municipal chairperson Shyam Sundar Kesari, women workers and senior officials, were present on the occasion.
Elaborate security arrangements were put in place by the district administration for the visit, with multiple officers of circle officer rank deployed, officials said.
