India, Jan. 7 -- A remark by senior BJP leader and Union minister C R Patil that 17th-century Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj belonged to the Patidar caste has triggered sharp reactions from opposition parties in Maharashtra, with the controversy erupting ahead of elections to all 29 municipal corporations in the state.

Patil, a Member of Parliament from Gujarat, made the statement at a public event while praising the Patidar community, a prominent agrarian group in Gujarat. "If anyone deserves the credit for bringing the entire country together, it is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He was a Patidar. If there is anyone who ensures that no one stays hungry in such a prestigious community or village, it is the Patidar community; that i...