In rare praise, Sanjay Raut credits Fadnavis for defusing Maratha quota stir

Raut targeted Deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. "Where were Shinde and Pawar? Why did they not participate in the deliberations? Did they want the issue to aggravate so that Fadnavis would be in the soup?” he asked.

By: Express News Service

Mumbai | September 4, 2025 12:06 AM IST

BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT), Manoj Jarange Patil, Manoj Jarange Patil fast, Sanjay Raut, Devendra Fadnavis, Devendra Fadnavis government, Mumbai news, Maharashtra news, Indian express, current affairs

Raut said Fadnavis had worked "in the background" with the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation.

In an unusual departure from his routine criticism of the BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday credited Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his role in defusing the Maratha quota agitation and persuading activist Manoj Jarange Patil to withdraw his fast.

Speaking to reporters, Raut said Fadnavis had worked “in the background” with the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation. “If the government has addressed the issue and saved Jarange’s life, then it should be welcomed. All credit must go to Fadnavis,” Raut said, adding that the BJP leader had displayed “patience” despite facing strong criticism from the protesters.

Raut, however, targeted Deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. “Where were Shinde and Pawar? Why did they not participate in the deliberations? Did they want the issue to aggravate so that Fadnavis would be in the soup?” he asked.

Jarange on Tuesday ended his fast on the fifth day after the state government accepted most of his demands, including the granting of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas, thereby extending to them the benefits of the OBC quota. The government issued a resolution (GR) on the Hyderabad gazetteer and announced the setting up of village-level committees to scrutinise documents.

Even as Raut’s praise for Fadnavis drew attention, his party colleague Sushma Andhare struck a discordant note, alleging that the government had “hoodwinked” Jarange. “There is a difference between a GR and a legislation. It was expected that a law would be brought in. The government issued a GR on Hyderabad, but not Satara. If a law can be challenged, why can’t a GR?” she asked.

Andhare suggested that the move was designed to weaken the agitation. “There was psychological pressure to vacate Azad Maidan by 4pm on Tuesday. It is unbelievable that the protest ended just because a sub-committee held discussions,” she said.

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