Thousands of members from the Maratha community left for Mumbai on Friday, August 29, after seeking the blessings of Goddess Kalika to strengthen the reservation agitation led by Manoj Jarange Patil at Azad Maidan. A convoy of more than 400 four-wheelers and over 10,000 two-wheelers, carrying stickers supporting the movement, was seen heading towards city in a very disciplined manner.
Local leaders had been making extensive preparations to ensure maximum participation from Nashik district of Maharashtra in the Mumbai agitation. Thus, community members from Niphad, Manmad, Nandgaon and other places had already departed for Mumbai by train on Thursday.
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Thousands more set out in cars and on two-wheelers on Friday morning. Key leaders such as Karan Gaikar, Nana Bachhav, along with Ashish Hiray, Praful Wagh, Navnath Shinde, Rajendra Shelke, Ram Patil, Vilas Jadhav, and others also left for Mumbai.