In a gesture that is likely to help him in particular and his Nationalist Congress Party in general, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has taken it upon himself to ensure the welfare of the Maratha community in an attempt to win over the state's biggest vote bank. He has taken under his wings two important entities — Sarathi and Annasaheb Patil Finance Development Corporation — that were set up by the previous BJP government that also gave Marathas a quota in jobs and education.

The Maratha community is agitated because their reservation status is still undecided, as the matter is pending before the Supreme Court. The state had implemented a 13 per cent quota for the Marathas with the approval of the Bombay High Court, but the decision was later challenged in the SC.