OBC Bahujan Aghadi to contest local body polls

Latur, Jan 18 (PTI) Former MLA Prakash Shendge on Sunday said the OBC Bahujan Aghadi Party will contest upcoming elections to Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis in Maharashtra to protect the reservation.

He alleged the Maharashtra government has been systematically destroying the OBC reservation over the last three to four years.

Shendge said nearly 99 per cent of the OBC quota has been snatched by Marathas, Patil, and Deshmukh candidates using bogus Kunbi certificates in municipal corporation elections.

"Where has this guaranteed 27 per cent reservation gone? Has someone stolen it?" he questioned while speaking to PTI.

Shendge further said the OBC Bahujan Aghadi Party will contest future elections and field candidates.

He alleged OBC workers were denied tickets by political parties for 30 to 40 years, and they were only used for menial political work.

"The era of begging for tickets is over. We have opened a 'ticket factory' called OBC Bahujan Aghadi. Anyone who expresses willingness will get the AB form delivered to their home," he said.

He alleged that the government has given an extremely short time for Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, calling it unprecedented in the history of reservation politics.

"Despite this, our workers will fight with full strength, both in reserved and open categories, across Maharashtra. Where we have fewer candidates, we will support like-minded pro-reservation parties," Shendge added.

He said the OBCs, Dalits, and Muslim OBCs can form a formidable 80 per cent vote bank. I Shendge reiterated that activist Manoj Jarange's demand for Maratha reservation is justifiable, but the dilution of the OBC quota won't be allowed. PTI COR NSK