MVA leaders meet Maharashtra governor to discuss Maratha Qouta issue

Mumbai: A delegation of the ruling coalition leaders of Maharashtra led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and requested him to take up the issue of Maratha quota with President Ram Nath Kovind and the Union government.

Later,Thackarey told reporters that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, reports PTI. Thackeray also informed that he has written a letter to the prime minister on the issue.

The Supreme Court on May 5 held the Maharashtra law granting quota to Marathas as unconstitutional. The majority ruling also said that states cannot decide the list of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) and only the President has the power to notify it.

"The verdict says the power to grant reservation is with the President, Centre and not states. So we met the governor, requesting him to convey our sentiments to the President and Centre. He (Koshyari) said he will convey our sentiments," Thackeray said.

The MVA -- which has often been at loggerheads with the BJP-led Union government -- hoped for a decision on the issue soon as the law granting quota to the community had been backed by all parties including the BJP, he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and ministers Ashok Chavan, Jayant Patil, Balasaheb Thorat, Eknath Shinde, Dilip Walse Patil and state Congress chief Nana Patole were part of the delegation.

Asked what measures the state government will take to give relief to the Maratha community till the quota issue is resolved, Thackeray said a decision will be taken soon.

He also thanked the Maratha community for "exhibiting sensibility" over the issue.

On his strained relations with Koshyari, Thackeray said, "We are not enemies of each other. We respect him and will continue to respect."

On former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' reported claim in the past that the Maratha quota law passed by the previous BJP government was foolproof, Thackeray said had it been so, "we would not have needed to meet the governor today."

(From PTI with minor edits)