4 Sep 2025: Mumbai, – Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has given senior minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil the important job of solving the Maratha reservation crisis. Vikhe Patil successfully ended the hunger strike of Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil in just five days by bringing a government solution that both sides could accept.
The state government was facing a big problem when Jarange Patil started his protest in Mumbai demanding reservation for the Maratha community. While other ruling party leaders stayed quiet, CM Fadnavis picked Vikhe Patil to handle this difficult situation.
Quick Action Brings Results
Vikhe Patil, who leads the Cabinet group studying Maratha reservation, immediately met with the state’s top lawyer Birendra Saraf to discuss legal matters. Within two days, he found a solution that made Jarange Patil end his hunger strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai.
“The responsibility entrusted to Vikhe Patil by the CM was well executed. Along with his team members, he worked hard to resolve the stalemate,” said senior BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
A Leader With Deep Roots
The 66-year-old minister comes from a famous political family in Ahmednagar district. His grandfather Vithalrao Vikhe Patil started the sugar cooperative movement in Maharashtra. His father Balasaheb Vikhe Patil worked in education and farming sectors.
Vikhe Patil has won elections from Shirdi eight times since 1995. He is known for staying calm under pressure, which helped him deal with Jarange Patil’s strong words during the protest.
Political Journey Across Parties
Vikhe Patil started with Congress party and became an MLA in 1995. He later joined Shiv Sena when they came to power but returned to Congress in 1999. He served as a minister handling different departments like agriculture, education, transport and law until 2014.
His final break with Congress came in 2019 when the party refused to give his son Sujay a ticket for elections. His son then won from Ahmednagar on a BJP ticket, and Vikhe Patil joined BJP before the Assembly elections.
Currently serving as Water Resources Minister in the Mahayuti government, Vikhe Patil has proven his worth by successfully handling one of Maharashtra’s most sensitive issues.
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Updated 4 Sep 2025, 17:46 IST; source: link
