Sharad Pawar meets CM Shinde to discuss Maratha-OBC quota

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde welcomes NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. Pic/CMO

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday about the Maratha-OBC quota issue among other subjects of public interest. Pawar had assured senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal that he would take the initiative on behalf of the Opposition to prevent any further tension between Marathas and OBCs over sharing of the reservation. Bhujbal's request had come following the Opposition's boycott of the government-organised all-party meeting on the quota issue early this month. The boycott had led the ruling alliance to stall the legislature's business the next day.

On Sunday, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanded to know whether Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and state Congress president Nana Patole were in favour of the Marathas' demand. Home Minister Amit Shah branded Pawar as anti-Maratha while speaking at the party's convention in Pune on Sunday.

The Shinde-Pawar meeting assumed significance in view of the criticism. NCP (SP) boss is learnt to have understood from Shinde the government's views because he had told Bhujbal that the Opposition was not briefed about the assurance Shinde had given to the Maratha and OBC quota activists. Pawar hadn't commented on the meeting. On record, the CMO said the meeting was about questions related to water resources, milk procurement rates and sugar cooperatives.

Good news for students

Within hours of the meeting, Shinde announced that students of professional courses in government and private colleges can submit their caste validity certificate within six months from the date of application for validity. The CMO said the relaxation will help Maratha students who face difficulties in getting caste validity verified.