CM Fadnavis is hemmed in on the reservation issue

THE RULING DISPENSATION IS CAUGHT IN A CLEFT STICK BECAUSE IT FOOLISHLY PROMISED RESERVATIONS NOT JUSTTOMARATHAS BUT ALSO TO THE DHANGARS IN ITS 2014 MANIFESTO

but also to Dhangars (shepherds) in its manifesto in 2014. Already, Fadnavis was embarrassed by them last year when at a public event they played the Bollywood hit, ‘Kya hua tera vaada...” to remind him of his party’s empty promise. Marathas are not being as benevolent any longer and now they are being backed by all other political parties in the state, including the Shiv Sena.

The Congress-nationalist Congress Party had been rather clever in 2014 by setting up an unconstitutional committee and giving them a 16% reservation, which was predictably struck down by the courts in the first instance.

The comfort of that kind of political chicanery is no longer available to the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) because Marathas have cottoned on and will not be fobbed off by crumbs or false promises.

So what does the CM do? Certainly not accuse Marathas of a conspiracy to release snakes into the Vithoba temple at Pandharpur where thousands of pilgrims were gathered for their venerations of Lord Vishnu on Ashadhi Ekadashi. That has fired tempers of Marathas who are outraged that anyone could accuse them of such sinister motives, for they are worshippers too and would not cause other worshippers any harm.

But that fantastic allegation shows that Fadnavis and the government are soon running out of options and discrediting the Marathas seems the only means of shaking them off.

Faced with threats by Marathas to stop his travels by carpeting his route with rocks and stones and also to undertake some guerrilla warfare — like jumping out of bushes to attack his convoy and disappear before being caught — Fadnavis must definitely be feeling hemmed in.

But solutions must be sought. Already two BJP MLAS from Nashik, Seema Hiray and Rahul Aher, have resigned, though cleverly, they have submitted their papers to Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) leaders and not the Speaker.

With 146 Maratha MLAS from all parties, a cascading effect could render the term of the government short-lived.