Hours after announcing that he would back 10 to 15 candidates in the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly election, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil made a U-turn today and said he would not participate in the polls. Mr Patil said he held discussions and concluded that he would only work against those who did not "give justice to Marathas".
"After much deliberation, I have decided not to field any candidate in the state. The Maratha community will decide on its own whom to defeat and whom to elect. I have no affiliation to or support for any candidate or political party," he said.