Latur: In a major political development aimed at addressing the longstanding neglect of Marathwada, a joint meeting of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the Marathwada region will soon be convened in Latur under the leadership of Congress MP Dr Shivajirao Kalge. The purpose is to form a pressure group that will advocate for the allocation of long-overdue development funds and projects across Marathwada.
The decision was taken during a multi-party citizens' convention on Saturday, jointly organised by the Marathwada Asmita Jagar Yatra and the Marathwada Janata Vikas Parishad. The upcoming yatra, scheduled from September 11 to 17, will begin in Tuljapur and culminate in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The gathering in Latur was held to mobilise support for the yatra and build momentum around Marathwada’s demands.
Presiding over the meeting, MP Dr Kalge emphasised the urgency of coordinated political action to rectify the deep-rooted imbalances that have left the region lagging.
In his opening remarks, Jayprakash Dagde, President of the Latur city unit of the Marathwada Janata Vikas Parishad, outlined the objectives of the meeting, while Moiz Shaikh, the event coordinator, presented alarming statistics revealing developmental deficits worth crores of rupees. “It’s time to adopt a more aggressive stance to draw the government’s attention," he said.
Namdevrao Patil, chief of the Marathwada Swabhiman Sanghatana and chief organiser of the yatra, passionately criticised the consistent injustice meted out to Marathwada, accusing Western Maharashtra and Vidarbha of siphoning away funds meant for the region. He also voiced disappointment at the indifference of local elected representatives.
Speakers from various political affiliations voiced support for the movement: Vinod Khatke (Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi) proposed that the yatra should directly reach the homes of every MP and MLA from Marathwada. Adv Govind Shirsat called for a strong ideological foundation for the movement, noting, ‘Until Marathwada awakens its self-respect, no real change will come.’
Adv. Uday Gaware stressed the need for mass mobilisation alongside intellectual discourse. Adv Venkata Bedre (NCP – Ajit Pawar faction) extended full support to the yatra and insisted on creating pressure on both state and central governments to resolve the backlog.
In a powerful and data-driven address, Congress leader Ashok Govindpurkar urged MP Dr Kalge to lead a delegation of the region’s eight MPs to reframe the region's demands, including a district-wise audit of developmental deficits. His proposal was endorsed by Sanjay Shete (NCP – Sharad Pawar faction), who called for collective political action.
Dr Shahzadi Shaikh, principal and academician, emphasised the need for agro-processing industries in Marathwada to ensure farmer welfare, while Abhijit Deshmukh of Disha Pratishthan urged widespread support for the movement.
Former MLA Shivajirao Patil Kavhekar proposed convening the upcoming joint MP-MLA meeting and establishing a formal action committee. “Even though our party, the BJP, is in power in the state, I fully support this movement and assure complete cooperation,” he added.
In his concluding remarks, MP Dr Shivajirao Kalge accepted the leadership role and pledged to host the upcoming meeting in Latur.
“I stand with you in this battle. I have already taken up issues like pending railway projects and farmer concerns with Union ministers. With your support, we can organise a united political front and build the pressure needed to bring lasting change,” he said.
Dr Somnath Rode, Vice-President of the Marathwada Janata Vikas Parishad, provided a scathing overview of the historic neglect faced by Marathwada under successive governments. He called for a grand welcome to the yatra when it arrives in Latur on September 11.
Renowned water expert Adv. VD Jadhav highlighted that Marathwada holds legal rights to over 550 TMC of water from river basins like Krishna, Godavari, Konkan, and Tapi. He pointed out that 19% of the Godavari basin falls within Latur, Dharashiv, and Beed districts, bolstering the region’s claim to water resources.
