The nomination process has been completed for the upcoming Maharashtra state assembly elections, and every political party is in fierce competition to retain their said traditional vote banks while navigating the social whirlwind of issues in the state.
Currently, five major factors in the state of Maharashtra are likely to swing the elections, one of which is the Maratha VS OBC reservation row. Every political party is trying to sway this topic in their favor, though can remembering a Dalit leader and social reformer help the Bharatiya Janata Party in this issue?

On 28th October, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde filed his nomination from Kopri Pachpakadi constituency in Thane, Maharashtra. Alongside him was Deputy Chief Minister and BJP Leader Devendra Fadnavis, although this wasn’t interesting. What was more intriguing was the cap Devendra Fadnavis was wearing. With the words ‘Jai Lahuji’ the orange cap caught a few eyes, and reminded who was Lahuji Vatsad Salve.
Who Was Lahuji Vatsad Salve?
Mentor to several prominent revolutionaries and freedom fighters including Vasudev Phadke the father of the Indian Armed Revolution, Lahuji Raghoji Salve was a social reformer, activist, and freedom fighter. Born in the Matang (Dalit) community, Lahuji Salve initiated the concept of Talim in India.

After learning wrestling from his father, Lahuji Salve owned an akhada at Ganj Peth, Pune, where notable freedom fighters learned martial arts. This includes Jyotiba Phule, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Vasudev Balwant Phadke, Moro Vithal Walvekar, and Sadashivrao Paranjpe, where he acted as a mentor to them during the freedom struggle.
As he was from the Dalit community himself, Lahuji joined Jyotiba Phule’s ‘Satyashodak Samaj’ and helped him recruit many Dalit students for his education movement. He encouraged many from the depressed class especially Mahars and Matangs to send their children to schools started by Jyotiba Phule.
It is said that in the late 18th and early 1900s, Lahuji Vatsaad formed the ‘Dhangar’ army of warriors from different castes and fought against the oppressive regimes that helped protect the local communities.
He also advocated for equal rights, education, and social justice for the Dalits. However, there isn’t much information available on the deeds of Lahuji Vastad.
Maharashtra government under Mahayuti approved 81 crore rupees to build Lahuji Vastad Memorial in the 2017 and 2023 budgets, however, it has been delayed due to a protracted legal issue.
The Matang community currently makes up 32.6% Scheduled Caste (SC) population of Maharashtra and holds a major stake in BJP’s traditional MADHAV vote bank.