Mumbai: As his starvation strike at Azad Maidan entered the fifth day on Tuesday, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s resolve to proceed the agitation until his calls for are met appears to be rising stronger.

A number of leaders of the ruling Mahayuti, significantly from the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP), have commented on your complete agitation someway, save Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde.

This time, barring just a few statements, neither Shinde nor any of the Shiv Sena ministers have been seen attempting to speak to the agitators.

On Friday, when Amit Shah was in Mumbai, Shinde was seen alongside the Union Dwelling Minister visiting Ganesh pandals. Over the weekend, nevertheless, as Jarange’s protest in Mumbai gained traction, Shinde left for his village in Satara for Ganapati celebrations, leaving the scenario within the arms of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Ajit Pawar, the opposite deputy CM, too, was in his dwelling district of Pune.

On Monday, each the deputies attended a gathering chaired by Fadnavis in Mumbai to debate the state authorities’s response to the Maratha agitation. Whereas Fadnavis is Brahmin, and has been the first goal of Jarange’s ire to date, his two deputies are Marathas.

📍 #मुंबई |

मराठा आरक्षणावरून मुंबईमध्ये सुरू असलेल्या आंदोलनाच्या पार्श्वभूमीवर आज मुख्यमंत्री देवेंद्र फडणवीस यांच्या वर्षा या निवासस्थानी विशेष बैठकीचे आयोजन करण्यात आले होते.

यावेळी उपमुख्यमंत्री अजित पवार, मंत्री शिवेंद्रराजे भोसले, मंत्री राधाकृष्ण विखे पाटील आणि इतर… pic.twitter.com/BRUQII1EOo

— Eknath Shinde – एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) September 1, 2025

Even because the Shiv Sena downplayed his absence from Mumbai, and his silence over the protests, a number of leaders hinted at how there may be little or no that Shinde may do in the mean time.

“All these discussions are taking place on a high-level between CM and Deputy CMs. It’s their inside matter. However they’re in contact with one another. Our occasion member is within the sub-committee. Until the time we aren’t requested, we gained’t be taking any initiative to start talks,” Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat advised ThePrint.

Shinde’s determination to take care of his distance from the agitation additionally comes at a time when there’s an influence tussle underway with CM Fadnavis.

Political analysts have been of the opinion that this could possibly be a calculated transfer by Shinde as a part of the identical energy tussle. “Since Shinde was sidelined by Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, it appears like that is a solution to Fadnavis. Additionally with the upcoming native physique elections, particularly in rural Maharashtra, Shinde want to capitalise on most ballot our bodies,” political analyst Jaidev Dole, who’s from Marathwada, advised ThePrint.

“As a result of Shinde’s occasion doesn’t have any cooperative, banking, training base like Congress and NCP, by way of this Maratha agitation, he’s determined and needs to unfold his roots in rural Maharashtra. He could possibly be supporting the agitation from backdoor channels.”

In February 2024, the state authorities handed the Maharashtra State Reservation for SEBC Invoice 2024, within the Meeting and Council, giving 10 p.c reservation in training and jobs to the Maratha neighborhood. The laws was primarily based on a Maharashtra State Backward Class Fee report that recognized the Marathas as socially and educationally backward. Nonetheless, this standalone quota is but to cross the courtroom’s scrutiny.

In the meantime, the Maratha neighborhood has been demanding that it ought to get reservation as Kunbis below the Different Backward Lessons (OBC) class, saying all Marathas have been as soon as Kunbis. A 3-member committee has been analyzing particular person claims and granting eligible Maratha Kunbi certificates.

The OBCs, nevertheless, strongly are towards the Marathas getting reservation as Kunbis. Mahayuti minister Chhagan Bhujbal, considered one of Maharashtra’s strongest OBC leaders from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Occasion, has thrown his weight behind his neighborhood.

---

Additionally Learn: Jarange Patil digs in heels at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, calls Fadnavis govt ‘worse than the British’

---

Strategic pullback?

Even because the Bombay Excessive Court docket remarked on how the town of Mumbai bought paralysed due to the protesters crowding south Mumbai, Shinde didn’t take any overview conferences with the BMC officers nor commented on the preparedness of varied companies within the metropolis.

Shinde isn’t solely the guardian minister of Mumbai but in addition the city improvement minister.

“The silence on a part of Shinde is calculated. There could possibly be a number of causes. A potential political fallout of statements made in favour of any group might show to be expensive,” Ajinkya Gaikwad, a professor of politics in Mumbai, advised ThePrint.

“Additionally, as a seasoned and shrewd politician, he’ll keep away from any escalation arising out of his statements being interpreted by the opposition. Therefore, not irking coalition companions and sustaining the soundness of the coalition is a process of paramount significance as of now.”

Jarange who began his agitation from his village Antarwali Sarati in August 2023 through the tenure of the Mahayuti authorities led by Shinde, shot to limelight when on 1 September, the police below then dwelling minister and Deputy CM Fadnavis resorted to lathi cost to disperse the protesters.

Since then, Jarange has been focusing on Fadnavis and seemingly held a delicate nook for Shinde, who’s a Maratha as properly.

Dealing with Jarange Patil’s agitation and convincing him to take a step again additionally helped Shinde bolster his personal Maratha credentials as a political chief. In September 2023, the pro-Maratha activist ended his agitation and starvation strike after 17 days by accepting a glass of juice provided by Shinde.

In January 2024 when he alongside along with his supporters determined to come back to Mumbai, the agitation was curtailed on the border of the town in Navi Mumbai. Shinde then promised Jarange that his calls for could be met. Patil and Shinde utilized gulal to one another to announce victory.

Again then, Shinde persuaded Jarange to interrupt his quick, providing him water and vowing in entrance of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s statue that he would meet the Maratha quota demand. Jarange Patil turned again and returned to his village in Marathwada’s Jalna district.

The state authorities took out a draft decision to challenge Kunbi certificates to eligible Marathas for granting reservation below the OBC class. This was later expanded to incorporate ‘sage-soyare’ (blood family members) of eligible Marathas for quota advantages.

“I had taken a pledge in entrance of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue that I’ll implement Maratha reservation. I imagine in making guarantees and fulfilling them,” Shinde had mentioned then.

This time, Shinde taking a backseat has not gone unnoticed. “No one from Shinde nor his occasion has approached us,” Shriram Kurankar, an aide of Jarange Patil, mentioned. “This time round apart from the Justice Shinde committee, none from the federal government even got here and spoke to us.”

On their half, a Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP) chief advised ThePrint that Jarange’s calls for are being thought-about, however wants to point out persistence.

“The sub-committee is trying into it, they usually need to work out a route that may stand legally as properly. All this must be thought-about. The sub-committee has members from all events. There is no such thing as a challenge inside the Mahayuti,” the chief mentioned.

Political observers propounded that it was helpful for Shinde to not be in line of fireside and as an alternative deal with issues by way of backdoor channels.

“One can not deny the truth that Shinde could also be concerned in backdoor negotiations with the Maratha Morcha. Second, the matter of reservation is now within the judicial paradigm, and giving statements at this juncture makes it dangerous. Lastly, silence can also present him a possibility to minimise accountability and accountability in case the authorized penalties are detrimental,” Gaikwad mentioned.

Shinde’s absence additionally has to do with the upcoming native physique polls, Dole mentioned, including that he was watching your complete drama unfold by way of the wings with out participation.

“Being a part of the federal government, Shinde is answerable for curbing the agitation, too. However, he’s proper now testing waters to see how his occasion is accepted inside the neighborhood within the native polls,” he asserted.

(Edited by Tony Rai)

---

Additionally Learn: BEST mess hints at cracks in Mahayuti govt as Fadnavis, Shinde’s depts title totally different officers for publish

---