KOLHAPUR: The Sangli unit of Maratha Kranti Morcha will observe a district-wide bandh on Monday when chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to be in the city to campaign for the BJP candidates contesting civic body elections.The members demanding reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and educational institutes have decided not to allow Fadnavis to hold any public meeting. Though the local police and BJP leaders have not received details of the CM's tour, it is likely that Fadnavis will visit the city on Monday as it is the last day for campaigning before citizens go to cast their votes on August 1. The city's BJP unit has already booked an open ground near the Congress Committee office for the CM's public address.Convenor of Maratha Kranti Morcha Sanjay Patil said, "We have given a petition to the local administration conveying our decision of observing a bandh when the CM visits the city. We will not let Fadnavis conduct public meetings. He and his ministers have demeaned the Maratha community by making false allegations. We expected him to speak like the CM of our state, not like the leader of a political party."Patil further said that though the issue of reservation was under judicial consideration, the state government was in a position to issue a notification declaring reservation for the Maratha community. "Recently, the CM announced that 16% seats in the upcoming mega-recruitment drive will be reserved for Maratha youths. However, no such notification has been issued. We will publicly felicitate the CM if he arrives in the city with the notification granting reservation to the community in his hand," added Patil.The local police have issued a notice to the organisers of Maratha Kranti Morcha stating they would be held responsible if any law and order issue arises in the city. A senior police official of Sangli police requesting anonymity said, "We have all the security measures in place in case the CM arrives. We have issued notices to the workers of Maratha Kranti Morcha as part of our routine strategy."CM addresses Sangli voters through video: The BJP has issued a video of Devendra Fadnavis in which he is appealing to voters of Sangli Miraj Kupwad Municipal Corporation (SMKMC) to vote for BJP."We have given over Rs 242 crore to the municipal corporation in the last three years. Since the civic body came into being, only one vegetable market has been set up. I appeal to the citizens to vote for BJP candidates to speed up the development works and relieve citizens from traffic congestion, pollution, etc" said Fadnavis in the video.

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