Taking cue from the Hardik Patel-led Patidar reservation movement, the Maratha community that has been protesting through silent marches across Maharashtra have decided to a float political front. The name of this new party will be Sambhaji Brigade, which has until recently been a Maratha-oriented social outfit and were instrumental in handling the Maratha Revolutionary March protests that created a furore in the state and national political circle. The Sambhaji Brigade is the youth organisation of the Maratha Seva Sangh.

The Maratha Revolutionary March started by demanding justice for 13-year-old Maratha girl from Kopardi who was brutally raped and murdered.

The other long pending demands of the group include – reservations for the community in the employment and education sectors, review of the Prevention of Atrocities Act and the implementation of Dr Swaminathan report to get the fair prices to farmer products.

According to Sambhaji Brigade president Manoj Akare, the group has been in the social field for last 25 years. "Social work is helping us bring in reforms but we need political power to fulfil our promises. Although we registered the Sambhaji Brigade as a political party a few days ago an election symbol has not yet been allotted to us. We have adopted the progressive thinkers' ideology. We will adore and implement the ideology of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Dr B R Ambedkar," Akare said.

He added that the foremost agenda of theparty is to provide educated for everyone, make villages liquor free and provide fair rates to farmers products. "There are many youth who were nurtured in the Sambhaji Brigade but a lack of opportunity forced most of them to leave and join other political fronts. They are bound and loyal to their affiliated political fronts and as such are unable to address the community's issues and implement a farmer oriented agenda in their respective parties. We want to uplift the deprived section through our political work. Now, many Maratha youths will get the opportunity to contest the polls and work for the community. We are also planning to contest the upcoming local body elections," Akare told DNA.

Another leader of Sambhaji Brigade said that once they get the success in Maharashtra, they will make alliances at the national level with other community fronts including the Patels and the Jats.

This is not the organisation's first foray into active politics. Some year ago, the Maratha Seva Sangh had started the Shiv Rajya Party. However, before making any political presence, the front vanished in the crowded political market.

Akare said that they had studied the old model and decided to overcome any tactical lacuane. "In the past, people working for the Sambhaji Brigade were unready to contest under a different banner. This time we will not face that issue. The Maratha Seva Sangh will work as an ideological front for the Sambhaji Brigade; something along the lines of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-Bharatiya Janata Party for us. We wish to give the strong and credible option to the people. There may be several political outfits but most of them had failed to resolve the issues of the people. Farmers are still committing suicides and the government has issued no acceptable rates for their produce. We have decided to address all these issues," said Akare.

A former Sambhaji Brigade leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that it is wrong step to convert a social front into a political one.

"No party can survive on the basis of one caste. We need to take other castes and creeds along with if we are to survive," he said adding that that the parent organisation Maratha Seva Sangh will self-destruct one of the msot successful movements of recent vintage.

"It is wrong to find the answer to every question in politics. There are many things we can do socially. Besides, I think it is too early to launch the political front. At this critical juncture, the Sambhaji Brigade will mostly damage the Shiv Sena's traditional electorate and will help the BJP and other parties make inroads," he observed.

Some commentators say that a new party would play spoilsport on the regional political arena, which is presently crowded with four major parties and one minor player.

"What votes would the Sambhaji Brigade get in such a crowded political scenario? Besides, Sambhaji Brigade has no workers' network," one observer said.