MPs, MLAs opposed to us will fall, warn Malis

PUNE: Alleging step-motherly treatment at the hands of political parties, the Mali leaders in the state have warned they will engineer defeats of MPs and MLAs who were "against the community."
They also called for the reinstatement of Chhagan Bhujbal as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.
Speaking at the ''Mali jodo abhiyan'', a state-level meeting, on Sunday, state Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) general-secretary Krishnakant Kudale called on the community members to change the political equations in the state by establishing themselves as a pressure group.
Kudale said the names of the politicians to be defeated would be decided and given to the community activists soon. He said they would ensure the defeat of around 15 such MPs and 75 MLAs.
The NCP general-secretary said it was necessary for the community leaders to demand tickets from all political parties, and it was the responsibility of the community to get them elected.
Getting the support of other castes was also necessary, he added.
Kudale said the community had been "used by various parties in the state to gain power", and rued that it had got nothing in return. "Despite being one of the largest communities in Maharashtra, the community has only five sitting MLAs."
Stating that Bhujbal symbolised the "self-respect" of the Mali community, Kudale said he had been unceremoniously removed from the deputy chief minister''s post despite working for the betterment of the backward classes. Reinstating Bhujbal was the only way to undo the damage, he averred.
City NCP corporator Nitin Jagtap came down heavily on party president Sharad Pawar and his nephew, Ajit Pawar, for "giving preference to Maratha leaders in the party".
Attacking Pawar for removing Bhujbal from his post, Jagtap claimed that the NCP was able to gain power in the state due to Bhujbal''s efforts. He alleged that Bhujbal was removed under pressure from Maratha leaders "who had threatened to quit the party if they did not get the posts of deputy chief minister and home minister".
Calling for Bhujbal''s reinstatement, Jagtap claimed he was falsely accused of attacking a news channel office over a television programme which had satirised him.
Another community leader, Dada Shinde, said the aim of the campaign was to unify the community to make good the "injustice done to them by political parties".
Ravi Chaudhari called for the emergence of "young leadership" among the community.
Stating that the community was in a position to influence the outcome of at least 15 Lok Sabha and 100 assembly seats, Sushilkumar Jadhav complained that they were being used as a "votebank" by political parties.
Jadhav said it was necessary for the community to strive to gain political power by electing at least five MPs and 25 MLAs.
Some of the leaders also called for the establishment of a party under the leadership of Bhujbal.