Mumbai: The stalemate with the Maratha reservation agitators may have ended for now, but it has only highlighted the differences within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led ruling Mahayuti coalition. After five days of intense agitation led by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis agreed to six of the eight demands of the agitators. On September 2, the government accepted Jarange Patil’s demand by issuing a Government Resolution (GR) to implement the “Hyderabad Gazette,” an order issued in 1918, which will now equate Marathas from the Marathwada region with the Kunbis, who fall under the OBC category. The government also announced the formation of a committee to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas with historical evidence of their Kunbi lineage.Marathas already enjoy a 10 percent quota in government jobs and education under the Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) welfare benefits. However, Jarange Patil had demanded a quota under the OBC category. The government’s decision to accept Jarange Patil’s demand was made without consulting other leaders, particularly those from the OBC community. This is evident from the unrest seen within the coalition parties.Minister opposed to Maratha quota walks out of cabinet meetingChhagan Bhujbal, a prominent leader from the OBC community who is also minister in the ruling Mahayuti coalition, has consistently opposed the Maratha reservation. In the past, Bhujbal has protested against the Marathas’ demand for a reservation from the already limited 27 percent OBC pool. Although Bhujbal belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is largely led by Maratha caste leaders, he has spoken openly and fearlessly. Belonging to the Mali community, Bhujbal has repeatedly warned the government about the “injustice” the Maratha reservation would cause to the 350 OBC communities in the state, which struggle to find representation in politics or education.Bhujbal’s stance aligns with the high court and Supreme Court, which have repeatedly ruled against granting Marathas a reservation in Maharashtra. On September 3, a day after the government conceded to Jarange Patil’s demands, Bhujbal walked out of the cabinet meeting in protest. He later told the media that he would approach either the high court or the Supreme Court to challenge the government’s decision.On Thursday (September 4), Fadnavis claimed he had spoken with Bhujbal and assured him that the OBC community would not be affected by the decision to grant Marathas a reservation. However, Bhujbal remains unconvinced. He argues that even if the impact is not immediate, it could manifest in 10–15 years if incorrect documents are issued to Marathas. Bhujbal in one of his interviews points out that while people’s religion can change in India, their caste cannot. As a dominant caste, both politically and socially, Marathas take great pride in their caste identity. Bhujbal has also pointed to numerous caste-based atrocities allegedly involving the Maratha community.‘Ajit Pawar’s MLAs have also backed the anti-OBC cause’The Maratha reservation agitation pitted Jarange Patil against Fadnavis. Despite the leaders of the two other parties in the Mahayuti alliance – Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar) – being Marathas, Jarange Patil focused his criticism on Fadnavis, who belongs to the Brahmin community.OBC community leaders have accused Maratha leaders in both the ruling and opposition parties of pushing their agenda through Jarange Patil. Calling the government’s move to issue a GR “completely illegal,” activist Laxman Hake criticised the “double standards” shown by Maratha leaders in both the ruling and opposition parties. “Sharad Pawar is leading a Mandal yatra in Nagpur but supports Jarange Patil in Mumbai. Ajit Pawar’s MLAs have also backed the anti-OBC cause,” he alleged.Ajit Pawar, who maintained a low profile during the agitation and let Fadnavis bear the brunt, finally spoke out on September 4. He accused opposition leaders of trying to “gain political mileage” from the Maratha agitation.