Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange initiated a significant agitation in Maharashtra, demanding reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. His core demand centered on granting all Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, which would make them eligible for OBC reservation benefits. Jarange's protest, staged at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai, escalated with a stern warning that if demands were not met, community members from across Maharashtra would join the protest, and he would intensify his fast by refusing to consume water.

Jarange expressed an unwillingness to grant additional time to the Mahayuti government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing them of ignoring the Maratha community's demands. He emphasized the potential electoral consequences for the Mahayuti alliance if Marathas withdrew their support, stating that resentment could lead to the defeat of candidates in local elections. Concurrently, a cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, headed by senior minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, held a crucial meeting with legal experts, including Maharashtra’s Advocate General Biren Saraf and retired High Court judge Sandeep Shinde. The meeting focused on the legal applicability of historical documents—the Hyderabad and Satara gazetteers—to support the classification of Marathas as Kunbis. Vikhe-Patil noted a Supreme Court observation that Marathas and Kunbis are not the same, presenting a legal challenge, but affirmed the government's commitment to finding a solution.

After a five-day fast at Azad Maidan, Jarange declared victory as the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands, including the granting of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas. This development led to widespread jubilation, particularly in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, which had become the epicenter of the Maratha reservation movement. Supporters celebrated with saffron flags, drums, and chants, calling it a