With the Aurangabad district emerging as the epicentre of Marathas' agitation for reservation after the death of two protesters, Shiv Sena and NCP MLAs from the region have tendered their resignation, even as Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that government is ready for talks.
Sena MLA Harshvardhan Jadhav, who represents the Kannad constituency in Aurangabad in the state's in Marathwada region resigned as no decision was taken on his demand for an ordinance to provide reservation to the community.
Both Maharashtra and the Centre are ruled by the same party (BJP), so there should be no problem in getting clearance for the ordinance, Jadhav said.
NCP MLA Bhausaheb Patil Chikatgaonkar who represent Vijapur constituency also resigned over the issue. He will hand over the hard copy to Vidhan Sabha speaker tomorrow evening.
Speaking to DNA, he said, "The state government is not doing anything for Maratha reservations. I will submit my resignation to the speaker tomorrow."
He also said that 'Kakasaheb Shinde who died during the protest by jumping into Godavari river was from his constituency. "He was a martyr to the cause," he said.
Quotas for Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30 per cent of the state's population, has been a hugely contentious issue.
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The bandh in Maharashtra called by pro-quota maratha groups was today marked by violence and arson. Protesters attacked buses, indulged in arson and pelted stones at local trains in several parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and the adjoining Thane city.
The Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Goa highways were blocked for hours by the protesters.
On Tuesday, Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire and Congress MLC Subhash Jhambad were manhandled during the last rites of one of the protesters, Kakasaheb Shinde (27).
Another protester, Jagannath Sonawane, 55, consumed a poisonous substance yesterday during the agitation. He died at the Government Medical College and Hospital here this morning.
