<p>Mumbai: Days before Manoj Jarange-Patil renews his agitation in Mumbai, the BJP-led Maha Yuti dispensation appointed veteran politician Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil as the Chairman of the Cabinet committee on Maratha issues.</p><p>The appointment was give the green light by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. </p><p>Earlier, the Committee was headed by state Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, who has been retained as a member.</p> .Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil to join BJP.<p>The 12-member Committee, besides Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Chandralant Patil, comprises Girish Mahajan, Dada Bhuse, Uday Samant, Shambhuraj Desai, Ashish Shelar, Shivendraraje Bhosale, Manikrao Kokate, Makrand Jadhav Patil, Babasaheb Patil and the Secretary of the General Administration Department (GAD). </p><p>Patil, earlier an MLC and now an MLA from Pune, was appointed Chairman of the Committee during the Maha Yuti government headed by Eknath Shinde and before that he was the Chairman 2014-19 when Fadnavis headed the BJP-undivided Shiv Sena government. </p> .<p>Vikhe-Patil is an eight-time MLA from Shirdi in Ahilyanagar district, earlier known as Ahmednagar. Hailing from a family known for its role in the cooperative sector, Vikhe-Patil had been part of Shiv Sena and Congress, before he joined the BJP. </p><p>Jarange Patil issued a clarion call of “Chalo Mumbai” — urging members of the Maratha community to mobilise in large numbers in support of their long-standing demands of Maratha quota under OBC category and plans to launch a hunger strike from 29 August at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai. </p><p>However, he has been urged not to launch agitation now as it coincides with the Ganeshotsav. </p> .<p>The Cabinet committee has been entrusted with supervising the state initiatives for the Maratha community, along with a regular follow-up on the legal issues concerning reservation to the community from the OBC category. </p><p>It also coordinates with the government-appointed committee headed by Justice Sandeep Shinde (Retd) dealing with the OBC certificates, holding discussions with the various fronts fighting for the reservation. </p><p>The Cabinet committee also handles legal issues and guides the team of counsels and lawyers vis-a-vis cases in Bombay High Court and Supreme Court. </p><p>During the tenure of Shinde as Chief Minister, the state initiated a campaign to trace Kunbi records, enabling Marathas with such lineage to avail OBC benefits.</p><p>Last year, the government announced a 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community, implementation of which is underway. However, the decision has been challenged in the Bombay High Court, where hearings are ongoing.</p>
<p>Mumbai: Days before Manoj Jarange-Patil renews his agitation in Mumbai, the BJP-led Maha Yuti dispensation appointed veteran politician Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil as the Chairman of the Cabinet committee on Maratha issues.</p><p>The appointment was give the green light by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. </p><p>Earlier, the Committee was headed by state Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, who has been retained as a member.</p> .Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil to join BJP.<p>The 12-member Committee, besides Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Chandralant Patil, comprises Girish Mahajan, Dada Bhuse, Uday Samant, Shambhuraj Desai, Ashish Shelar, Shivendraraje Bhosale, Manikrao Kokate, Makrand Jadhav Patil, Babasaheb Patil and the Secretary of the General Administration Department (GAD). </p><p>Patil, earlier an MLC and now an MLA from Pune, was appointed Chairman of the Committee during the Maha Yuti government headed by Eknath Shinde and before that he was the Chairman 2014-19 when Fadnavis headed the BJP-undivided Shiv Sena government. </p> .<p>Vikhe-Patil is an eight-time MLA from Shirdi in Ahilyanagar district, earlier known as Ahmednagar. Hailing from a family known for its role in the cooperative sector, Vikhe-Patil had been part of Shiv Sena and Congress, before he joined the BJP. </p><p>Jarange Patil issued a clarion call of “Chalo Mumbai” — urging members of the Maratha community to mobilise in large numbers in support of their long-standing demands of Maratha quota under OBC category and plans to launch a hunger strike from 29 August at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai. </p><p>However, he has been urged not to launch agitation now as it coincides with the Ganeshotsav. </p> .<p>The Cabinet committee has been entrusted with supervising the state initiatives for the Maratha community, along with a regular follow-up on the legal issues concerning reservation to the community from the OBC category. </p><p>It also coordinates with the government-appointed committee headed by Justice Sandeep Shinde (Retd) dealing with the OBC certificates, holding discussions with the various fronts fighting for the reservation. </p><p>The Cabinet committee also handles legal issues and guides the team of counsels and lawyers vis-a-vis cases in Bombay High Court and Supreme Court. </p><p>During the tenure of Shinde as Chief Minister, the state initiated a campaign to trace Kunbi records, enabling Marathas with such lineage to avail OBC benefits.</p><p>Last year, the government announced a 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community, implementation of which is underway. However, the decision has been challenged in the Bombay High Court, where hearings are ongoing.</p>