States » WestPosted at: Oct 6 2026 2:28PM


MPSC stir likely to intensify as Rahul Gandhi, Raj Thackeray, Jarange Patil back protest

Mumbai, Oct 6 (UNI) The students’ agitation against repeated Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) question paper leaks, which is presently being led by Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, is likely to intensify as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is expected to arrive in Pune on Wednesday or Thursday, and meet the students, sources said here on Tuesday.
On Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recommended the formation of a special judicial committee to investigate the former and current chairman, as well as members of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), under Article 317 of the Constitution.
Yet, the move has fallen short of the demand by protesting students and MPSC aspirants to sack present MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar, who is alleged to have close ties with Chief Minister Fadnavis.
Opposition figures like Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Rohit Pawar and Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal have alleged several times that MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar has close ties with Fadnavis. They have questioned why no action has been taken against Bhimanwar, who is allegedly the kingpin behind the MPSC question paper leak.
On Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut as well as Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijit Dipke met the protesting students in Pune and on Monday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder Raj Thackeray reached Pune and met the agitating MPSC aspirants.
According to sources, the move by Fadnavis to set up a special judicial commission, without sacking present MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar is being considered an eyewash by many students, especially by those who are not aware of legal norms that need to be followed before such a step.
On Monday night, MNS founder Raj Thackeray told MPSC aspirant student protestors in Pune, “To remove the MPSC president from his post, the Governor and the permission of the Supreme Court will have to be taken. It is a 1950 rule. It is not in the hands of the Maharashtra state government to remove the MPSC president”.
Raj Thackeray said that student representatives should come to Mumbai on October 9 or October 10.
“Going on a hunger strike is not the way. Let us get to the root of the problem and work to find a solution,” Raj Thackeray told the protesting students.
Raj Thackeray also invited the protesting students to his Shivtirth residence in Dadar West near Shivaji Park, for further discussions to get rid of present MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar.
In a related development, Maratha reservation agitator Manoj Jarange Patil met the protesting students in Pune on Monday and warned that the agitation would be intensified if the government does not take the students’ demands seriously.
“We will shut down the entire Maharashtra for you,” Manoj Jarange Patil told the protesting students, adding that the time has come to shut down Maharashtra.
“We will change our name if we don't do it in a day,” Jarange Patil said.
Reacting to allegations that the students’ protest is political in nature, Jarange Patil said, “How is this movement political? Shouldn't the students be empowered?”
Jarange Patil said that it is a question of the future of the students, and hence it is necessary to support the demands made by students.
UNI BA RSA
Tags: #MPSC stir likely to intensify as Rahul Gandhi# Raj Thackeray# Jarange Patil back protest
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