06 July CM to be felicitated by Maratha organizations

Kolhapur: Sakal

Maratha

Samaj, an organization, which aggressively fought for Maratha

reservation

, will felicitate Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Pandharpur next week for his role in getting judicial approval by Bombay High Court.

Decision by Sakal Maratha Samaj has rasised a several eye brows in political circles as the organization was bitterly criticizing Fadnavis government and BJP till few days back. Sources in BJP said that party looks at the felicitation as a signal that BJP had won trust of dominant Maratha community.

Felicitation of Fadnavis on Aashadhi Eakadashi, considered as an auspicious day, when lakhs of warkaries across Maharashtra gather in Pandharpur, assumes significance when as chief minister had to cancel official government Pooja of Lord Vitthal because of opposition from Maratha organizations.

Maratha organization had announced that they would not allow Fadnavis to enter in Pandharpur because of delay in decision on Maratha reservation. Fadnavis had to cancel Pandharpur visit to avoid any untoward incident.

In another significant development Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil will also be felicitated in Kolhapur on Sunday by a group of Maratha organizations for his efforts on getting solve Maratha reservation issue. Patil was heading group of ministers, which was handling agitation by Maratha organizations for reservation and litigation part.

BJP sources said that party is looking at post-High Court decision situation as a big opportunity to make deep inroads in western Maharashtra, which is dominated by Maratha community. Western Maharashtra is considered as a traditional bastion of Congress and NCP as Maratha community has been voting for two parties for years. Patil is looking after political affairs in the re3gion for BJP.

BJP is already chalking out a plan for Assembly elections in Maratha dominant region. Party looks at Lok Sabha election results as a favorable situation as BJP-Sena bagged five out of six seats. BJP has already campaign on social media, describing fadnavis as an architect of Maratha reservation.

BJP sources said that party plans to focus on how government was honest to its commitment to reservation for Maratha community. Party would focus on how previous governments of Congress and NCP expressed verbal sympathy but did not act. BJP plans to emphasize that decision on Maratha reservation, taken by Prithviraj Chavan government, was stayed by the High Court as it was not legally full proof. A BJP leader said that party would expose Congress and NCP saying that two parties were never serious on Maratha reservation even though community was voting for them.