Quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil burst on the landscape of Maharashtra just over a year ago after the police cracked down on protesters demanding reservation for the Maratha community at Antarwali-Saraati village of Jalna district in the Marathwada region of the state.

Since the incident, Jarange-Patil has grown in stature and many believe the Maratha community will vote according to his wishes in the upcoming Assembly polls. In these elections, he announced he would field candidates and also gave his supporters the go-ahead to file their nominations only to change his mind overnight. His final decision to “not support any candidate” has triggered speculations about who the activist is supporting and what his game plan is.

With an intense look that has flashes of Amitabh Bachchan’s “angry young man”, the 42-year-old self-styled social worker, speaks to The Indian Express while meeting his supporters outside his village sarpanch’s house, a lone building amid fields of dragon fruits, and talks about his plans and the prospects of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Mahayuti. Excerpts:

* Why did you suddenly announce you would not support any candidate in the elections?

I realised that an election cannot be fought on the basis of one caste (Maratha). Three groups of people – Marathas, Muslims and Dalits – had to come together to win. I felt (despite my efforts) this was not happening… The final baatcheet (discussions) took place on October 30 with representatives of the three groups. That is when I felt it would not work. I then thought why fight the elections if society was not going to benefit.

I had told my people that they could file nominations on the condition that they would have to withdraw if I asked them to.

* It is said you changed your mind after a phone call. Who was the phone call from?

There was no phone call. The Central government has its agencies, they can verify and put whoever is supposed to have called me in jail. It was my own decision to withdraw candidates.

* Who is likely to benefit from your decision?

Who will gain or who will lose is not my concern. I can’t fight my battle on the basis of who will benefit or not benefit, be it the MVA or the Mahayuti.

* But who do you think stands to gain?

That I don’t know. I am not in politics. Yes, I was on the verge of (joining) it.

* Who according to you is the tallest Maratha leader today?

The Maratha samaj (community) is the tallest and only leader. Those among the community, who are poor and backward, are the netas (leaders).

* It is said you have a good relationship with Sharad Pawar?

Who told you?

* He is the most experienced leader in the state today…

Then why did he not give reservation to the Marathas? The BJP too did not give reservation.

* But they (BJP) are not opposing it either…

Naa de rahe hain, naa rok rahe hain. Latka kar rakhe hain (They are neither giving reservation nor opposing it. Just keeping us hanging).

* What about Eknath Shinde?

They are all the same.

* And Devendra Fadnavis?

He is not a good person. He will never allow the Marathas, Muslims, Vanjaras, Lingayats or Dhangars to get the benefit of reservations.

* So you are saying that the Maratha leaders are not heroes but a zero.

As I have said, the leader of the Marathas is the community and not an individual leader. If there is a leader, who is revered by the community, it is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj .

* What will you do next?

The andolan (agitation) is on. It has not stopped. I will sit on a fast again, the date for which is not yet finalised. It will be after the Model Code of Conduct is lifted. I can tell you this – Manoj Jarange-Patil will be the first challenge that the new government faces, be it the MVA or the Mahayuti.

* Don’t you think you can only go up to a point with agitations, and will ultimately have to enter politics to achieve your goal?

According to me, around 2 crore Marathas have got the benefit of arakshan (reservation) because of agitation. I have been able to do this. Only through agitation will more people be able to get reservation. Fifty-seven lakh people produced evidence (that they were Kunbis, who are considered OBC).

* What about (joining) politics in the future?

Nobody can predict the future. Meri jaan arakshan maen phansi hai, jab woh ho jayega, then I will decide kahan lagani hai (My life is for reservation. Once that is granted, then I will decide where to go).

* Who do you think has the edge in the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra?

Jidhar Maratha jayega, uska palda bhaari hai (Whichever side the Maratha votes go, they will have an edge).

* Which side will the Marathas go?

You will know after the results.

* Does this mean that the Marathas will vote as one?

The Marathas will vote for the side which promises reservation. Though parties have not done it so far, I feel some party will promise it soon. If they do not promise it before election day, we will not let them come to power.

* What if they don’t, does it mean you will get everyone defeated?

This cannot happen. All of them are saying that they will give reservation but in a category which exceeds the legally allowed 50%. We want the Marathas to be accommodated within the 50% (so that it is not struck down by courts). Marathas have to be treated as Kunbis. They are the same. Maratha reservation has to be given within the 27% meant for OBCs.

* The OBCs will resist sharing their existing reservation benefits with others.

Danda marenge, toh marenge (If they hit back, so be it). From 1884, we were in the OBC category till the decision of the Mandal (Commission) came. According to the Hyderabad gazetteer (Marathwada was once a part of the Hyderabad State), we were Kunbis. The OBCs know this.