By Editors
On September 28, 2024, political scientist Suhas Palshikar discussed reservation politics with senior journalist Alka Dhupkar.
Once known as a progressive state, Maharashtra is on the brink of a ‘volcanic’ eruption of social tension over caste, Palshikar said. Caste is now the central factor in Maharashtra politics and elections.
Reservation and quota politics is being used to mobilise different communities. It will influence candidate selection, and ticket distribution, and people will be encouraged to vote on caste.
He noted that the Marathas constitute a vote bank and demand to be included in the OBC list, and the ruling coalition is using various schemes to woo the Maratha vote. The Maratha vote traditionally went to the Congress and the National Congress Party (NCP) but this has changed after the split in the NCP. This webinar took place before Manoj Jarange-Patil, one of the key figures in the Maratha agitation, withdrew from the political fray.
Palshikar predicted that ambitious independent candidates would have an upper hand in the post-elections scenario, and weakened party affiliations would result in a free-for-all and a period of instability until the government’s formation.
