Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: The role of reservation policies in shaping the polls this time 

Maharashtra’s 97 million voters are gearing up for the state’s assembly elections on November 20 with all eyes on the 288 seats at stake. The political landscape is more fragmented than ever, with multiple factions vying for influence, making this election one of the most complex in recent history. 

A key battleground in this election will be the region of Marathwada, where reservation policies and caste dynamics are central to the discourse. This time, the focus is squarely on the Maratha reservation issue, particularly in light of recent events that have intensified the debate. 

The September 2023 lathicharge on Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil brought the Maratha reservation issue to the forefront, making it one of the most talked-about topics in the region ahead of the polls. Marathas hold significant political power in Marathwada, and their demand for inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota has become a flashpoint. 

Patil has criticised the state government for excluding the Maratha community from the OBC quota, which has further fuelled tensions. In response, the ruling Mahayuti coalition has sought to appease other communities, including tribals and OBCs, by establishing new corporations for groups such as Agris, Vani-Vani, Lohar, Shimpi and Gavali. 

In Marathwada, BJP is contesting 20 out of 46 assembly seats, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena is fighting for 16. The region also has a sizable Muslim population, making up about 15 percent of the electorate. 

In a significant move, the opposition alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), has promised to conduct a caste-based census and remove the 50 percent cap on reservations if they come to power. This promise has given the MVA a fresh talking point as they aim to attract support from various marginalised communities. 

However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has criticised the opposition for using the Maratha reservation issue as a political tool. He claimed that previous governments failed to make significant progress on the issue and argued that his administration has already allocated a 10 percent reservation for Marathas without affecting the quotas of other communities. 

The Maratha community, which constitutes nearly a third of Maharashtra’s population, has long sought inclusion in the OBC category to gain access to reservation benefits in education and government jobs. Successive state governments have attempted to address these demands, but their efforts have been marred by legal challenges and political controversies. 

The Maratha reservation issue has been the subject of extensive legal and political debate, largely due to its potential impact on other communities’ quotas and the constitutional limit of 50 percent on total reservations. In 2019, the state government introduced a 16 percent reservation for Marathas, which was found to exceed the 50 percent cap by the Supreme Court. The court subsequently struck down the policy in 2021, leading to renewed protests and violent agitations. 

In response to the ongoing demand for reservations, the state government passed the Maratha Reservation Bill in February 2024, which provides a 10 percent reservation for Marathas in education and government jobs. The Bill classifies Marathas as a Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC), effectively adding to the existing reservation quotas in Maharashtra. 

The election for the Maharashtra Assembly will take place on November 20 with the counting of votes scheduled for November 23.  

In the 2019 assembly elections, BJP emerged as the largest party with 105 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 56 and Congress with 44. In the 2014 elections, BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena secured 63 and Congress took 42 seats. 

With reservation policies taking centre stage, the 2024 elections are shaping up to be a high-stakes battle, with each party trying to win over key caste groups and their supporters.