Manoj Jarange Patil withdraws from Maharashtra’s political fray

Maharashtra Assembly Polls: Maratha activist urges withdrawal of nominations, emphasising need for diverse representation in upcoming state assembly elections.

A day after announcing his support to candidates, Maratha Quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil has withdrawn from the political fray.

He has appealed to the independent Maratha candidates to withdraw their nominations today. “It is not possible to fight elections on the basis of one community alone,” Mr. Jarange said in the Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna, Maharashtra.

“The list of allies from Dalit and other organisations did not come on time,” he said.

The MVA has given a guarded reaction saying it was primarily a social movement and that everyone has the right to make their own decision in a democracy.

Mr. 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. On Sunday (November 3, 2024), he announced he would support two candidates from Parvati and Daund in the state assembly polls, though he said their names would be disclosed later.

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.

(with inputs from PTI)