Non-Marathas want post of PCC chief
Non-Marathas in Maharashtra, especially OBCs and tribals, are staking their claim on a post of PCC chief after the Marathas got two top posts in the government — the chief ministers and deputy chief minister.
Though Marathas have been dominating and controlling political power in Maharashtra since 1960, Mr A.R. Antulay was perhaps only chief minister who had tried to break the Maratha monopoly with the blessings of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay in 1980s. Other non-Maratha Congress chief ministers like Vasantrao Naik and Sudhakarrao Naik had ruled the support of the majority community.
But this community had lost its grip over the state during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule. That time Mr Manohar Joshi, a brahmin, was the chief minister and Mr Gopinath Munde, an OBC, was the deputy chief minister. The Shiv Sena made Mr Narayan Rane the chief minister but he had remained there for a brief period.
The Maharashtra Congress had 19 chiefs so far. Though they included dalits, women and a Muslim, the organisation continues to be dominated by Marathas.
Among the non-Marathas were Nasikrao Tirpude, S.M.I. Asir, N.M. Kamble and current Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde.
But the late Vasantada Patil was the most powerful PCC chief the organisation had so far have amongst all. After him, Mr Govindrao Adik, the sitting MP, was known for his organisational skills. But he was compelled to quit the party. Mr Shinde also grew from the organisation and became PCC president twice. Among the women, President Pratibha Patil and the late Premalatai Chavan and Prabha Rau had also led the organisation.
Now, the OBCs are pressing for the PCC chief’s post.
“The Sharad Pawar-led NCP has been systematically projecting non-Marathas, especially OBCs like Chhagan Bhujbal, Ganesh Naik, Jayadatta Kshirsagar, Madhukar Pichad but the Congress has been ignoring,” they complained.
The names of Uttamsingh Pawar, Damu Shingda, Sudhakar Gangane, Ulhas Pawar are doing to round among among the non Marathas.
According to the Congres insiders even Mr Vilas Muttemwar, the sitting Lok Sabha member from Nagpur, could be considered for the post. Mr Muttemar has been winning the Lok Sabha elections since 1980 with the only exception of 1996.
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