Pune: The BJP 's first list of 99 names announced on Sunday for the state assembly election is based on Haryana's Jat-OBC formula and shows the party's efforts to strike a balance between Maratha and OBC candidates with prominent names from both communities getting tickets. Going with experienced members in the first list, the BJP nominated deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis , state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, cabinet ministers Sudhir Mungantiwar and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and others. According to a senior BJP member, a lot of thought was given to the 'Manoj Jarange factor' which dented the party's prospects during the Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra .
"Jarange's agitation for Maratha reservation consolidated votes against the Mahayuti in the Lok Sabha poll. Based on this experience, the party analysed the ‘Jarange factor' in detail and instead of getting into an overcorrection mode and giving more Maratha candidates , our party balanced it well while giving representation to different communities," a senior BJP member told TOI. Both communities are likely to play an important role in candidates' wins or losses.
According to BJP members, instead of giving importance to the number of candidates from a particular community, it has gone with known names from the Maratha and the OBC communities. Thus, the party expects to send a positive signal to both communities. "It is Vikhe Patil in Ahilyanagar, Ashok Chavan's daughter and Raosaheb Danve's son from Mara.