A transgender, a woman or anyone from any caste could become the chief minister of Maharashtra if they have the support of 145 legislators in the 288-member state legislative assembly, said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday. This response was triggered by a statement made by Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve that he wished to see a Brahmin as the chief minister of Maharashtra.
Danve had made the comment on Tuesday night in Jalna, while addressing a rally organised by the Brahmin community on the occasion of Parashuram Jayanti.
A dignitary present at the rally demanded that Brahmins be given more representation in local governing bodies. In response, Danve said, “I don’t want to see Brahmins just as corporators or civic body heads, I wish to see a Brahmin as the chief minister of this state.”
Danve said he had campaigned in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh for the assembly elections held in these states earlier this year.
“So much casteism has entered politics that it cannot be ignored. But there should be a leader who can keep communities together,” he said.
“Anyone can become a chief minister. A ‘tritiyapanthi’ (transgender) or a person from any caste/religion or any woman can be chief minister by securing majority of 145 MLAs,” said Pawar.
