Mumbai, Jan 26 (IANS): On Republic Day, lakhs of Marathas waving the Tricolour and saffron flags, marched into Mumbai from different entry points in what is considered as the "final battle" for reservation in education and jobs for the community, here on Friday.

The Shivba Sanghatana President Manoj Jarange-Patil, who marched for six days from Jalna to Mumbai and is presently stationed in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, said that he has started an indefinite hunger strike from today to press for the qoutas.

Simultaneously, he held rounds of negotiations with government officials and emissaries of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on a new set of proposals.

Later, Jarange-Patil said that the delegations have submitted a fresh proposal which he will study, consult his expert team and then take a final decision today, as he prepared to address a rally this afternoon.

Rattled by the massive crowds virtually at Mumbai's doorsteps, the government is making last-ditch efforts to convince Jarange-Patil that the reservation will be given but he should take back his sea of Maratha humanity that can paralyse the country's commercial capital besides posing administrative, logistics and law-and-order issues.

The Opposition Congress President Nana Patole warned that “even if Jarange-Patil is touched, we will not spare the state government”, and demanded full security to the Shivba Sanghatana leader.

Many of the Marathas who entered the city were from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, who commuted by suburban trains from places in Palghar, Thane, Raigad and also residents of Mumbai to join the last war for quotas, reaching either Dadar, Churchgate or Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, and thousands came by road.