Maharashtra's simmering reservation crisis boiled over on Friday, 4 September, as senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal issued a blunt ultimatum to his own MahaYuti coalition government, warning he would take to the streets if Other Backward Classes (OBC) quotas continued to be eroded. The warning drew an immediate and sharp counter-attack from Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, widening the fault lines within the ruling alliance.

Bhujbal's Broadside Against His Own Government

Addressing a press conference, Minister Bhujbal trained his fire on state ministers and legislators who had been visiting Jarange Patil's hunger strike site at Antarwali Sarati, accusing the government of excessive eagerness to appease the activist's demands at the cost of OBC interests.

Bhujbal raised alarm over alleged document tampering to claim Kunbi-Maratha caste status and cautioned against bypassing statutory procedures. 'The Caste Scrutiny Committee is a vital body, and no one should exert pressure on it,' he said, questioning lawmakers who had promised to 'correct' rejected caste certificates. 'Four Corporators in Mumbai lost their seats because their caste validity certificates were cancelled. Are you going to correct those as well?' he asked pointedly.

The ₹750 Crore vs ₹5 Crore Disparity

Bhujbal disclosed that he had walked out of a Cabinet sub-committee meeting in protest after ₹750 crore was allocated to the Maratha-focused Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation, while OBC welfare committees received a mere ₹5 crore. He demanded that if a dedicated Maratha-Kunbi Ministry is to be created, separate ministries must be established for every community in the state.

He also questioned how a single candidate could simultaneously claim benefits under three distinct categories — OBC, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) — and called on the government to clarify the legal basis for such dual or triple claims immediately.

Targeting the Maratha Reservation Cabinet Sub-Committee led by minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Bhujbal questioned its authority to unilaterally issue local directives and Government Resolutions (GRs) without broader cabinet sanction.

Jarange Patil's Counter-Attack

Responding from his protest site in Antarwali Sarati, Jalna, Jarange Patil launched a sharp personal attack on Bhujbal, accusing the veteran leader of exploiting the OBC community for political gain. 'At this age, he should look after his own politics and figure out how to make his nephew an MP,' Jarange Patil charged.

He alleged that Bhujbal had misused the OBC banner for personal benefit: 'He consumed everything in the name of OBCs — the OBC Development Corporation was cleared out, and even Maharashtra Sadan wasn't spared. The OBC community has now recognised his true nature as his decline has begun.'

Dismissing Bhujbal's demographic claims, Jarange Patil said, 'Who told Bhujbal that the OBC population is 60 per cent? The massive Maratha community has only been granted a 10 per cent quota.' He also accused Bhujbal of political opportunism, alleging he switches allegiances between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the MahaYuti as it suits him.

Where the Standoff Stands

Jarange Patil confirmed that state government delegates have accepted key demands — including issuing Kunbi caste certificates to those with historical records — but he said he will not end his fast until official implementation is visible on the ground. This is at least the third major escalation in the Maharashtra reservation standoff in recent months, with the crisis now visibly straining the MahaYuti's internal cohesion ahead of state elections. Both communities — Maratha and OBC — represent significant vote blocs, making any policy concession to one a potential political cost with the other.