The visit of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to Kolhapur took an unexpected turn as a gathering of the Maratha community, convened in his presence, descended into chaos. The meeting, held at the Kolhapur collector's office, was intended to address the Maratha community's quest for reservations within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. However, the event was marred by turmoil and disturbances.
The leaders from the Maratha community in Kolhapur had orchestrated the meeting to engage with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, urging him to address their demands for reservations. Representatives from Kolhapur and neighbouring districts convened for the event.
Within the small hall of the collector's office, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar engaged with selected leaders. However, due to space constraints, leaders and activists from other districts remained outside. A controversy arose when district and police authorities denied entry to certain leaders, causing discontent that was expressed through slogans raised by activists. However, these leaders were permitted to join the meeting after some time, although by then, the session had concluded.
Following the meeting's conclusion, leaders from Phaltan, Satara, Beed, and Ahmednagar expressed dissatisfaction, alleging their exclusion from crucial discussions in front of Ajit Pawar.
Baba Indulkar, a prominent Maratha community leader in Kolhapur, asserted the meeting was a success despite the disruptions caused by certain leaders' interventions.