Jains gain significant political representation in Maharashtra assembly

In Maharashtra, the newly elected state assembly has seen an increase in representation from the Jain community, with a total of seven MLAs now serving. This figure includes six members from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and one independent candidate who is supported by Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. This is a significant representation considering that the last population census estimated Jains to make up only 1.25% of the state's population. The Jains are now 2.4% of the Leadership Assembly, which is nearly double their proportionate size in the population, reflecting a consistent trend since past elections in 2009 and 2019. Additionally, there were nine Jain MLAs in the Maharashtra assembly back in 2014. Among the newly elected Jain MLAs, three representatives hail from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region: Mangal Prabhat Lodha from Malabar Hill, Parag Shah from Ghatkopar East, and Narendra Mehta from Mira Bhayandar. The other BJP Jain MLAs include Prashant Bumb from Gangapur, Chainsukh Sancheti from Mankapur, and Rahul Avade from Ichalkaranji. The only non-BJP MLA in this group is Rajendra Yadravkar, who contested as an independent candidate supported by the Rajarshi Shahu Vikas Aghadi party. He previously served as the Minister of State in the last government, highlighting his political experience. Community leaders expressed happiness regarding this increased representation; however, there is anticipation that the MLAs will secure ministerial portfolios to enhance their influence on decision-making. Lalit Gandhi, the President of the All India Jain Minority Federation, emphasized the community's contributions to social development and explained that newly established organizations like the Jain Minority Financial Development Corporation will assist young Jain entrepreneurs and support welfare programs for widows. Concerns about underrepresentation persist within the community, with some members arguing that the census might not accurately reflect the true size of the Jain population due to the lack of a proper count mechanism allowing Jains to identify themselves. The issue of visibility holds significance as Jain representatives plan to engage more young members of their community in politics, moving forward. Despite currently holding representation, the Jain community's traditional focus on business has created a disconnect from political engagement, leading to challenges in encouraging the younger demographic to participate in the political process. On December 7, community leaders will gather in Mumbai to celebrate the achievement of the newly elected Jain MLAs, while also planning programs that will better interest young Jains in political roles.