Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday refuted talk of his stir not being a factor in the Maharashtra assembly polls, which were swept by the Mahayuti comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party.
The Mahayuti won 40 out of 46 seats in the Marathwada region, including all five in Jalna, the epicentre of Jarange's stir for quota for the Maratha community in jobs and education. Poll observers attributed the success to schemes like 'Ladki Bahin' and a robust campaign.
The ruling alliance's poor show in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year was largely credited to Jarange's opposition, especially his strident remarks against Deputy Chief Minister and BJP stalwart Devendra Fadnavis.
"How can one say the Jarange factor failed in the assembly polls when I did not contest nor did I endorse anybody? I liberated the Maratha community from the clutches of these political parties. The community was free to vote as per its choice. My focus is on empowering the Marathas," he said putting up a brave front.
Expressing satisfaction at the results, he pointed out that 204 Marathas were elected to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly.
Jarange, ahead of the November 20 assembly polls, had routinely spoken about fielding candidates or ensuring those who opposed the community's quota demands were defeated.
Senior journalist Raju Ghule said voter polarisation and the support of the OBC community, who rallied behind the Mahayuti after its poor show in the Lok Sabha elections, ensured victory of BJP's Babanrao Lonikar from Partur, Narayan Kuche from Badnapur, and Santosh Danve from Bhokardan in Jalna district.
Political observer Avinash Kavahle said that despite anti-incumbency, four-term MLA Lonikar, who polled 70,659 votes, benefited from the division of votes between Asaram Borade of the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (secured 65,919 votes) and independent candidate Suresh Jethliya (53,921 votes).
In the Bhokardan constituency, BJP MLA Santosh Danve, son of Raosaheb Danve, secured his third consecutive victory. He attributed it to his father's relentless campaigning.
Shiv Sena's Arjun Khotkar was the winner in Jalna, while his party colleague Udhan Hikmat Baliram defeated five-time MLA Rajesh Tope of the NCP in Ghansawangi.
An OBC activist said Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna was the focal point of the Maratha agitation but Mahayuti managed to perform exceedingly well in the district despite facing the community's anger.
"The BJP and its allies capitalised on flagship schemes like the 'Ladki Bahin' for women and the emotive slogans 'ek hai toh safe hai' and 'batenge toh katenge' which resonated strongly with voters," he said.
In results declared on Saturday, the BJP won 132 seats, followed by 57 for Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and 41 for Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, largely seen as sympathetic to Jarange, crashed to a stunning defeat, with the Shiv Sena-UBT getting 20 seats, the Congress 16 and Sharad Pawar's NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar 10.
