Maharashtra Elections 2024: Those Supporting Devendra Fadnavis Are Not '24 Carat' Marathas, Activist Manoj Jarange's Remark Sparks Massive Controversy

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, the Maratha activist launched another scathing attack on the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) saying the Maratha who stand alongside Devendra Fadnavis are not '24 carat' (real) Marathas. He also said that the Maratha community will do a 'political encounter' of BJP in the ensuing elections.

The elections in Maharashtra will see the effects of the 'Jarange factor'- the potential fallout of Maratha community's fallout amid massive protests over reservations in Other Backward Classes. In last 14 months, Jarange went on six hunger strikes demanding quotas for the Maratha community.

Jarange also held first Maratha Dusserah rally last Saturday which was attended by sea of people. The activist warned the Mahayuti government in the rally and said Maharashtra needs 'a change', indirectly extending his support to the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

On Thursday Jarange announced that he will be holding meetings with potential candidates for Maharashtra assembly elections. To pacify Jarange, the BJP sent senior leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil to meet him at Antarvali Sarati village in Maharashtra's Jalna.

This was the second meeting between Vikhe Patil and Jarange in a week. Apart from BJP's, another Mahayuti also sent a Shiv Sena representative to hold talks with Jarange. On Thursday, Uday Samant, close-confidant of CM Eknath Shinde met Jarange ahead of his meetings with assembly candidate aspirants from Maratha community.

While Imtiaz Jaleel, the AIMIM leader who had opposed the Maratha reservation earlier, also met Manoj Jarange ahead of Maharashtra elections.

Meanwhile, after activist Jarange's remark over Marathas supporting Devendra Fadnavis has sparked a controversy. The Marathas supporting the BJP have started giving angry reactions, demanding an apology from Jarange.

Jarange had said that Marathas supporting Fadnavis are not '24 carat' (true Marathas). Notably, Udayanraje Bhosale, the descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a member of BJP and MP from Satara constituency.