Keshavrao Marutrao Jedhe (Deshmukh) (21 April 1896 – 12 November 1959) was an Indian independence activist and politician from Pune. He served as a leading figure in the Indian National Congress, and in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement during independence. The famous Swargate chowk in Pune is named after him.
Early life and background
Keshavrao Jedhe was younger son of Marutirao Jedhe. The Jedhe were a wealthy Maratha family with Deshmukh lineage from Pune. The family members belonged to the Satyashodhak Samaj and played an active part in the activities of the samaj in the early parts of 20th century. The family chiefly derived their wealth from a brass factory they owned. The factory was run by Jedhe's oldest brother, one of his brother, Baburao was active in non-brahman movement whilst Keshavrao was active in Satyashodhak samaj. Baburao was in fact, considered a close associate of Shahu, ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur.
Political activism and career
Satyashodhak samaj and Non-brahman party
After death of Shahu Maharaj in 1922, Jedhe assumed leadership of the non-Brahmin communities in Pune and surrounding areas under the banner of Non-brahman party (NBM) and satyashodhak samaj. Capturing the Ganpati and Shivaji festivals from Brahmin domination were the early goals of Jedhe and his associates. They combined nationalism with anti-casteism as the party's aim. Jedhe led through the 1920s until its merger with the Congress party. spent twelve years of his life for the NBM. During this period, he served as member of Pune Municipality for NBM. He also took part in equality and untouchability removal campaigns organized by Dalit leader, Dr. Ambedkar. The Samaj and the party also conducted activities in Satara District, Kolhapur State and other places in this area that were designed to harass Brahmins, and to drive them from their positions as priests, government officials, money-lenders, and teachers in the rural areas. Prior to 1920s, the samaj opposed the Indian national movement because it was a movement led by the elites. Followers of the Samaj during 20th century in addition to Jedhe included educationalist Bhaurao Patil Nana Patil, Khanderao Bagal and Madhavrao Bagal. By the 1930s, given the mass movement nature of the Congress party under Mahatma Gandhi, Jedhe joined the Congress, and the samaj activities withered away.
Congress party
In the 1930s, Jedhe merged the non-Brahmin party with the Congress party, and transformed the Congress from an upper-caste dominated body to a more broadly based, but Maratha-dominated party in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. He brought the Maratha community of Maharashtra into mainstream politics and won the first election in November 1934 for the Bombay Presidency legislative council.In 1938, Keshavrao became president of the state Congress and Jedhe Mansion was the centre of activity.In the early 1940s Jedhe started a peasant league within Congress which was seen by some as a challenge to the then Marathi and Gujarati Brahmin leadership of the Congress party in Bombay presidency. Jedhe was instrumental in building the Congress Bhavan in Pune.
After Independence in 1948, Jedhe left the party to become one of the founder members of Peasants and Workers Party (PWP). He fought and lost the first Lok Sabha election in 1952 from Pune as PWP candidate against his friend and Congress candidate N. V. Gadgil. Disappointed with left leaning policies of other PWP leaders, Jedhe returned to the Congress fold in August 1952. He was elected to Lok Sabha in 1957 elections from Baramati as a Congress party candidate.
Later, Yashwantrao Chavan often said he joined the Congress only because of Keshavrao.
Sanyukta Maharashtra Movement pioneer
The Indian National Congress was pledged to linguistic states, but the States Re-organisation Committee recommended a bi-lingual state for Maharashtra-Gujarat, with Mumbai as its capital. Its inauguration on 1 November 1956, caused a great political stir and, under the leadership of Keshavrao Jedhe, an all-party meeting was held in Pune and Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti was founded on 6 February 1956. In the second general election of 1957, the Samiti defeated the stalwarts of Congress by securing 101 seats out of 133, including 12 from Mumbai. The Congress could form a government only with the support of Gujarat, Marathwada and Vidarbha. Yashwantrao Chavan became the first Chief Minister of the bi-lingual Bombay State.