Maratha leader Vinayak Mete joins Shiv Sena-BJP alliance

The BJP-Shiv Sena-RPI (A) grand alliance received a shot in the arm on Friday after Maratha leader Vinayak Mete-led Shiv Sangram joined the Mahayuti. However, differences came to the fore at the press conference called to announce the entry of Mete as senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde refused to commit his support for reservation. Mete, who is an MLC with the NCP, has been demanding reservation for the Maratha community.
Speaking to media persons, Munde said during the 1995 elections Mete was with us and the saffron alliance government had met many of the demands. The state government even formed the Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal, but later the Congress-NCP government had not supported it financially. Similarly, other demands such as concessions for students of the Maratha community and a grand memorial for Shivaji Maharaj were never met.
According to Munde, the government had cheated the Maratha community and Mete had given indications that he would part ways with the Congress-NCP alliance if the demands of the community were not met. Mete said he was working for the Maratha community for the last 33 years. The demand for reservations was made keeping in mind these sections of the community.
"We were told that a decision on reservations will happen soon, but nothing happened. They deliberately did not take a decision on Maratha reservation," Mete said.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said the Sena always believed that the poor, irrespective of the caste, should be helped. "Both Ramdas Athawale and Mete came along with us as the Congress-NCP alliance just used them. Thackeray promised to do justice to the community," Uddhav said.