Even as Maharashtra Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister held meetings with the President, the Prime Minister and Union Ministers in Delhi on Saturday, the Opposition parties in the State reiterated their demand to ensure the implementation of political reservation for OBCs before going ahead with the local body polls.
On Saturday, a committee headed by former Chief Secretary Jayant Banthia, which was appointed by the previous State government to collate empirical data on the political backwardness of OBCs, submitted its report to Chief Secretary Manu Kumar Shrivastava.
The report will be presented to the Supreme Court in the next hearing.
The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have demanded that the elections to four municipal panchayats and 92 Municipal Councils on August 18 not be held until the OBC reservation is restored.
‘Don’t hold polls’
Dhananjay Munde, NCP’s former minister and OBC leader, said that the previous government too was of the opinion that no election should be held without OBC reservation.
“The commission appointed for collecting empirical data of OBCs is ready with its report. The new government must take action based on it,” said Mr. Munde.
NCP State president Jayant Patil also opposed the plan to conduct elections without OBC reservations. Congress State president Nana Patole demanded that the new government should immediately intervene to avoid elections without OBC reservations. Mr. Shinde too is of the opinion that the elections should not be held without OBC reservation.
Both Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis met Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta regarding the issue on Saturday. “We met him [Mr.Mehta] and we discussed about the OBC reservation issue,” he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is part of the State government, said it would be taking a delegation to hold a meeting with the State Election Commission (SEC) to demand the postponement of the elections.
“Apart from non-implementation of the OBC reservation there are other reasons that are equally important. August is a month that receives monsoon rains when agricultural work is in progress. Heavy rains make it difficult for voters to reach polling stations in rural areas,” said BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
Meanwhile, with the SEC giving its nod Mr. Shinde will be performing the customary pooja at the Vitthal-Rukmini temple at Pandharpur on Sunday, an official said. There was earlier uncertainty as to whether Mr. Shinde would be able to attend this.
