Thursday, November 11, 2010

[ZESTCaste] In Maha politics, it pays to be Maratha

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/In-Maha-politics-it-pays-to-be-Maratha/articleshow/6904627.cms

In Maha politics, it pays to be Maratha

Prafulla Marpakwar, TNN, Nov 11, 2010, 02.08am IST

MUMBAI: Since the birth of Maharashtra in 1960, Marathas have
dominated the political arena, and 2010 seems to be no different. The
top two posts of CM and deputy CM will be held by Marathas — NCP's
choice of Ajit Pawar, who will replace veteran OBC leader Chhagan
Bhujbal, will serve as a counterbalance to the new CM, Prithviraj
Chavan.

Between 1960 and 2010, Maharashtra has had around 18 CMs, and barring
a few prominent names such as tribal leader V P Naik, Sushilkumar
Shinde who is the Dalit face of Congress, and Manohar Gajanan Joshi
(Brahmin), the majority have been Marathas.

A similar trend is played out in the legislative assembly as well. As
per official records, of the 289 members of the legislative assembly,
over 170 are from the Maratha community. Based on these figures, it
wouldn't be amiss to conclude that the Marathas have played very
important roles in key decisions that have impacted Maharashtra.

According to a senior Congress minister, Marathas have had a hand in
the state's economic development. The community has been instrumental
in the setting up of cooperative sugar factories, financial
institutions and the development of the agriculture sector, he said.
''It's a fact that in the cooperative sector, the Maratha community
has taken the lead, and is directly controlling the economic pulse of
the people.''

But the rise and rise of the Marathas — once a powerful warrior
community — hasn't gone down well with other leaders such as Chhagan
Bhujbal and BJP's Gopinath Munde. Over the years, both have been
campaigning for adequate representation in Maharashtra's political
stage, but have met with little success.


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