Ex-Maha CM Fadnavis vows to 'quit politics' if he fails to pass OBC quota when in power

In a massive announcement, ex-Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis vowed to 'retire from politics' if he failed to get back Other Backward classes (OBC) reservation if brought back to power. Addressing BJP workers at a protest in Nagpur on Saturday, Fadnavis urged the OBC ministers in the MVA government to pass a law mandating OBC reservation in local bodies. Stating that Parliament's intervention was unnecessary, Fadnavis that all other states apart from Maharashtra had such a reservation.

Fadnavis: 'Will retire from politcs'

"I want to appeal to all the OBC ministers in the MVA government. There is no enmity between us and them. If you are honest towards the cause of the OBCs then regardless of party lines we are ready to stand with you. I want to tell you with full confidence that within the next three to four months we can bring back the OBC reservation. If you give us power...I want to tell you with confidence that if I fail to bring back the political reservation for OBCs, I will retire from politics," the former chief minister said.

He added, The fact is that this issue can be resolved at the state level. The state government can restore the reservation by formulating a law. There is no need for any act of the Central government. That is why OBC reservation is prevalent in other states except in Maharashtra. You (MVA) will have to make a law. We will not stop until we expose their lie. This protest is held to condemn this government on the issue."

 Later, Fadnavis was briefly detained by the Nagpur police while holding a 'chakka jam' over the OBC reservation protest. BJP has vowed to hold protests at 1,000 places across the state with the participation of 1 lakh party workers and senior leaders on June 26. The row comes over the long-standing demand of  27% political reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in all local bodies. Notably, the topic has become a hotbed of political discussion ahead of the by-poll in five zilla parishads — Dhule, Nandurbar, Akola, Washim, and Nagpur due on July 19. 

OBC reservation stalled by SC

In May, the Supreme Court struck down reservations for Other Backward Classes in local body elections after ruling that the reservation in favour of OBCs in local bodies should not exceed the 50% cap in reservation quota. The apex court, while reading down section 12(2)(c) of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act 1961, which provided 27 per cent reservation for persons belonging to the backward class, also quashed the notifications issued by the state election commission in 2018 and 2020 providing reservation exceeding 50 per cent in local bodies of some districts. Following this, the BJP blamed the Maharashtra government for "negligence" holding the state's government's review petition responsible for the SC ruling.

(With PTI Inputs)