Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Former state chief minister Ashok Chavan raised the issue of Maratha reservation on the second day of the assembly winter session on Friday.The move comes in response to mounting pressure on peoples representatives from across party lines to support quota for all Marathas.Chavan said the issue had not been broached even on the second day of the session and demanded a discussion so that the ruling dispensation would make their stand clear.The Congress leader said, The assembly session started on Thursday. Everybody is aware there is lot of anger over the (unfulfilled) demand of reservation for Marathas. A responsible minister made a statement in the assembly and assured the discussion would happen soon and the state governments stand made clear. Even today there was a question in this regard, but nothing happened.He pointed out to the banners outside the assembly demanding Maratha reservation. Thereafter, through assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, Chavan requested CM Eknath Shinde, deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar to clear the air on the matter. He asked how and when they were going to fulfil the promise of allotting Maratha reservation and that too without disturbing the OBC reservation.Fadnavis said, The state is keen to discuss the issue. The upper house has already decided when. After speaking with the CM and group leaders, we will decide a time to take up the matter in the house.We also published the following articles recentlyMaharashtra CM, leaders to meet top BJP ministers in Delhi to discuss ban on ethanol production, Maratha reservationTop leaders from Maharashtra, including CM Eknath Shinde, would meet top BJP leaders in Delhi to discuss the ban on using sugarcane juice and sugar syrup for ethanol production. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has spoken to Amit Shah, Piyush Goyal, and Nitin Gadkari about the issue. The Mahayuti government is ready to discuss other important issues like unseasonal rains, problems of milk, orange and cotton producers, ban on onion export, and Maratha reservation. The ban on using sugarcane juice and sugar syrup for ethanol production would have adverse effects on farmers and sugar mills.Opposition stages walkout over Maratha reservation, farmers issuesOpposition parties staged a walkout in protest against the speakers denial to allow discussions on various critical issues, including Maratha reservation, the central governments ban on ethanol production, and challenges faced by farmers. Speaker Rahul Narwekar assured the opposition members that discussions with the parliamentary affairs minister had taken place and a decision would be reached by Friday evening. Despite the assurance, opposition members persisted in their demands, chanting slogans. MPCC president Nana Patole expressed the oppositions intent to discuss the plight of farmers affected by natural disasters.Bhujbal targets own govt on Maratha quota issueState cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal expresses anger at his own government for its failure to intervene in the Maratha reservation issue. Bhujbal criticizes the state commission on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as redundant due to the ongoing reservation issue. Several commission members have resigned, and Bhujbal predicts more resignations. He raises concerns about the non-transparent issuance of Kunbi certificates to Marathas, emphasizing the need for a separate quota for Marathas without affecting OBC reservation. Bhujbal doubts the effectiveness of raising the issue in the assembly, calling on the government to outline its plan to protect OBC reservation.

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