: Amid the scramble to finalise the ruling Mahayuti bloc seat-sharing pact, the BJP on Sunday released its second list of 22 candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly polls. Among the names announced, the party has retained six sitting MLAs and dropped two. Also, the BJP has intensified its outreach for OBC votes, which comprise around 45 per cent of the state's population.
In the run-up to the Maharashtra polls, top BJP leaders, particularly deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, have been holding regular parlyes with the leaders of the OBC community since the past few weeks in the presence of Union minister and state election in-charge Bhupender Yadav. Sources said that Mr Fadnavis has held over 100 meetings with the OBC community leaders in over one month at his official residence in Mumbai. “During this outreach meeting, Mr Fadbavis heard their concern and promised to address them at the earliest,” said a source aware of these meetings, adding that about 200 to 300 prominent leaders of a particular backward class called for the meeting.
According to sources, Mr Fadnavis has so far met over 25,000 prominent OBC leaders from across the state. It is learnt that apart from Mr Yadav, BJP’s OBC wing national president K. Laxman was also present in a few meetings held at Mr Fadnavis’ residence.
The OBCs, who constitute around 45 per cent of the Maharashtra electorates, are categorised into various sub-groups like Kumbis, Malis, Vanjaris, Dhangars and others. Sources said.