Jarange to field candidates for state poll, ‘will assess till Oct 29’

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday decided to field candidates from his community for the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra, bringing an end to various speculations over his entry into active politics.Addressing supporters in Antarwali Sarathi of Jalna district on Sunday, Jarange said winnability would be the criterion for choosing assembly seats from where his supporters will contest as independents."We will field candidates at places where the presence of the Maratha community is strong. We will not field candidates for seats reserved for scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) categories; we will ensure a win for other candidates who support our demands. For the remaining seats, we will support candidates who give us in writing on a bond paper of Rs500 that they support all our demands," he said.Stating that he is working on poll equations that would produce mixed power for Marathas after the polls, Jarange said he would adopt a multi-pronged strategy to establish the influence of his community over Marathwada.While the announcement of fighting elections produced loud cheers among his supporters, Jarange also said that he may ask some of his candidates to withdraw from the race depending on how things pan out.He told supporters, "You all file nomination papers. I will assess the entire situation in the next few days and decide the final candidates at selected constituencies depending upon elective merit. My word is final, and you must withdraw from the race if I ask so by Oct 29."Keeping an equal distance from the Mahayuti and MVA, the quota activist criticised both the alliances, terming them as "full of mischief".Earlier, addressing supporters, Jarange had said he has a personal view that he and his supporters must not enter the poll fray. "However, I value your opinions. I respect the views of those supporting and opposing my stand," he said, before announcing the decision to contest polls by weighing the sentiments of his supporters.While Jarange is credited for Mahayuti's defeat in seven out of eight Lok Sabha seats in Marathwada, it remains to be seen what effect he will have by entering into active politics by contesting the state assembly poll.Meanwhile, Jarange travelled all the way to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to meet the spokesperson of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, Sajjad Nomani, on Saturday night, sparking various speculations.
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