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{{Short description|Political movement in Western India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Indian political party
| name = Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti
| native_name =
| logo = Mes belgav logo full size.jpg
| position =
| colorcode = #FF9933
| worker =
| symbol = [[File:Indian Election Symbol Lion.png|100px]]
| website = {{url|https://www.mesbelgaum.com}}
| peasants =
| women = Maharashtra Ekikaran Mahila Aghadi
| students =
| youth = Maharashtra Ekikaran Yuva Samiti
| publication =
| ideology = *[[ Hindutva]]

*[[Hinduism]]
*'''Merger of 862 Marathi-speaking villages in [[Karnataka]] into [[Maharashtra]] (Karnataka occupied Maharashtra) '''<ref>{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Will incorporate 'Karnataka-occupied areas' into Maharashtra: Uddhav |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/will-incorporate-karnataka-occupied-areas-into-maharashtra-uddhav/article33592882.ece/amp/ |access-date=1 June 2022 |work=The Hindu |date=17 January 2021 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
*Rights Of Marathi people
| headquarters = [[Belagavi, Karnataka]]
| founder =
| foundation = 1946
| president = '''Deepak Dalvi'''
| abbreviation =MES
| alliance = [[Shivsena]]-[[Nationalist Congress Party]]
| leader =
[[Uddhav Thackeray]] &
[[Sharad Pawar]]
| rajyasabha_leader = [[Sanjay Raut]]
| eci =
| flag = Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg
| colours = {{Color sample|#FF9933}} [[Bhagwa]]
|slogan =* belgaon Karwar Nipani bhalki Bidar sah sanyukt Maharashtra jhalaj pahije
*Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki jai
* Dharmaveer Chatrapati Sambaji Maharaj ki Jai
* Hindu dharm ki Jai
* Jai Hind Jai Maharashtra
| loksabha_leader = [[Arvind Sawant]] [[Amol Ramsing Kolhe]]}}

'''Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti''' (Committee for Integration with Maharashtra)( {{small|abbr.}} '''MES''') is a linguistic socio-political committee based out of [[Belgaum|Belagavi]] city in the Indian state of [[Karnataka]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/bTV84VPra3vNCRMhRDWxkM/In-Marathispeaking-areas-of-Karnataka-bid-for-merger-with.html|title=In Marathi-speaking areas of Karnataka, bid for merger with Maharashtra gets election push|last1=Ghadyalpatil|first1=Abhiram|last2=Poovanna|first2=Sharan|date=2018-05-10|website=[[Livemint]]|language=en|access-date=2020-03-13}}</ref> It acts as a party demanding the merger of [[Belagavi district]] in Karnataka with the [[Maharashtra]] and for the rights of Marathi people and Maratha community in karnataka<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/politics/despite-setbacks-maharashtra-ekikaran-samiti-charges-ahead-in-karnatakas-belagavi|title=Despite Setbacks, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti Charges Ahead in Karnataka's Belagavi|last=Mahaprashastra|first=Ajoy Ashirwad|date=2 May 2018|website=The Wire|access-date=2020-03-14}}</ref>

==History==
After India became independent in 1947, the Belagavi district (which was in the erstwhile [[Bombay Presidency]]) became a part of the [[Bombay State]]. In 1948, the Belagavi City Council passed a resolution declaring that the district was a [[Marathi language|Marathi]] majority district and demanding for the inclusion of the Belagavi district in the proposed state of [[Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti|Samyukta Maharashtra]].<ref name="Frontline_A_dispute">{{cite news|author=Ravi Sharma|url=http://www.flonnet.com/fl2225/stories/20051216007912400.htm|title=A dispute revived|date=3–16 December 2005|access-date=24 October 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061016232259/http://www.flonnet.com/fl2225/stories/20051216007912400.htm|archive-date=16 October 2006|publisher=Frontline|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti was formed in the same year pursuing the single point demand for the inclusion of the district in the state of Maharashtra. The [[States Reorganisation Commission]] recommended the inclusion of the Belagavi district to the state of Mysore.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Kuber|first=Girish|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1309841,curpg-2.cms|title=District's always been bone of contention|date=2005-11-28|work=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=2020-03-15|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314192127/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/|archive-date=14 March 2020}}</ref> The district was subsequently merged into the [[Mysore State]] (currently [[Karnataka]]) when the [[States Reorganisation Act, 1956]] was passed by the [[Parliament of India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/amend/amend7.htm|title=Seventh Amendment|publisher=Indiacode.nic.in|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501011646/http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/amend/amend7.htm|archive-date=1 May 2017|access-date=2011-11-19|df=dmy-all}}</ref> ''[[The Economic Times]]'' describes the MES to have held a significant influence in the district since.<ref name=":1" />

== Electoral history ==
The committee has consistently supported candidates for the [[Karnataka Legislative Assembly]]; primarily from constituencies in the district of Belagavi. The committee members have also contested elections to the [[Belagavi City Corporation]] where it has held a dominant position from time to time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2019/may/18/mes-leader-sambhajirao-passes-away-1978410.html|title=MES leader Sambhajirao passes away|last=|first=|date=|website=[[The New Indian Express]]|access-date=2020-03-14}}</ref> It was a registered party in the [[1962 Mysore Legislative Assembly election]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/3773-karnataka-1962/|title=Karnataka 1962|last=|first=|date=|website=[[Election Commission of India]]|access-date=}}</ref>

MES contests elections only in a few seats in Belagavi area and does not get enough votes to be recognized as an official party. So its candidates often contest elections as 'Independent'.

* 1957 Mysore State : Balkrishna Sunthankar won from Belagavi City Vidhan Sabha seat. Balwant Naik won from Nippani. Balwantrao and Shyam Sundar, two MLAs from Bhalki, were either MES activists or at least supported by MES. Nagendra Samaji and Vitthal Patil, PWP's MLAs from Belagavi, were supported by MES. Both of them won again under MES banner 5 years later. And Scheduled Caste Federation's candidate Datta Katti from Chikkodi Lok Sabha, supported by MES, won the election defeating his Congress rival.
* 1962 Karnataka Assembly : MES won 6 seats. MES won in Karwar, Khanapur, and Nippani. And all 3 candidates elected from Belagavi were from MES. 1) Balkrishna Sunthankar, 2) Vitthal Patil, and 3) Nagendra Samaji.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/karnataka/assembly-constituencies/1962-election-results.html|title=Karnataka Election Results 1962, Karnataka Assembly Elections Results 1962|website=www.elections.in}}</ref>
* 1967 Karnataka Assembly : MES won in Belagavi and Khanapur.
* 1972 Karnataka Assembly : MES won in Belagavi (?), Khanapur, and Uchagaon.
* 1978 Karnataka Assembly : MES dominated the city area, winning from Belagavi, Uchagaon, Bagewadi, Khanapur, Nipani.
* 1983 Karnataka Assembly : MES dominated the city area, winning from Belagavi, Uchagaon, Bagewadi.
* 1985 Karnataka Assembly : MES won in Belagavi and Uchagaon. But lost in Bagewadi.
* 1989 Karnataka Assembly : MES won in Belagavi and Uchagaon.
* 1994 Karnataka Assembly : MES won in Belagavi and Uchagaon. But lost in Bagewadi.
* 1999 Karnataka Assembly : Basavant Patil lost in Uchagaon, and Malojirao Ashtekar lost in Belagavi.
* 2004 Karnataka Assembly : MES won in Uchagaon.
* 2008 Karnataka Assembly : Kiran Sayanak of MES lost in Belagavi-South.
* 2013 Karnataka Assembly : MES won in Belagavi Dakshin and Khanapur.
* 2018 Karnataka Assembly : MES split in two factions. Shahar Ekikarana Samiti, let by Kiran Thakur. And Madhyawartee (Central) Ekikarana Samiti, led by Deepak Dalvi. In Khanapur and Belagavi's 3 seats (North, South, Rural) the factions fought against each other, and all the candidates lost.
* [[Belagavi (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Belagavi]] Vidhan Sabha Seat : MES won it in 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972(?), 1978, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1994.
* [[Uchagaon (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Uchagaon]] Vidhan Sabha Seat : MES won it in 1972, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1994, 2004. The seat ceased to exist after 2008.
* [[Bagewadi (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Bagewadi]] Vidhan Sabha Constituency : MES won it in 1978, 1983. But lost in 1985 and 1994.
* [[Khanapur (Vidhana Sabha constituency)|Khanapur]] Vidhan Sabha Seat : MES won it in 1962, 1967, 1972, 1978, 2013.
* [[Nippani (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Nippani]] Vidhan Sabha Seat : MES won it in 1962, 1978.
* [[Belgaum (Lok Sabha constituency)|Belgaum 2021 Bypoll]] Shubhan Vikrant Shelke, backed by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti and Shiv Sena, garnered over 1.24 lakh votes and stood third.

== Candidates in elections ==
{{more footnotes needed|section|date=May 2022}}
V N Nisal (President of the first committee) 
Dr Kowadkar (Leading light in 1950s) 
Shri B R Sunthankar (Leading light in 1950s and 1960s), and MLA from [[Belagavi (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Belagavi]] in 1957 and 1962 
Laxman Birje, MLA from Khanapur in 1957 and 1962 
Nilkanth Sardesai, MLA from [[Khanapur, Karnataka Assembly constituency|Khanapur]] in 1967, 1972, 1978 
Balwant Bhimrao Sayanak who became MLA from [[Belagavi (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Belagavi]] in 1967 and 1978 
Prabhakar Pawashe, MLA from [[Uchagaon (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Uchagaon]] in 1972 and 1978 
Govind Ashtekar, MLA from [[Bagewadi (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Bagewadi]] in 1978, 1983, but lost in 1985 and 1994 
Basavant Iroji Patil, MLA from [[Uchagaon (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Uchagaon]] in 1983, 1985, 1989, 1994. But he lost in 1999. 
Rajabhau Mane, MLA from Belagavi in 1983, 1985 
Bapusaheb Mahagaonkar, MLA from [[Belagavi (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Belagavi]] in 1989. 
[[Narayan Rao Tarale]], MLA from [[Belagavi (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Belagavi]] in 1994 
Sambhaji Patil (1951-2019) was the mayor of Belgavi city for three terms and was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the [[Belagavi Dakshin (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Belagavi Dakshin constituency]] for one term in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=588909|title=Belagavi: Former MLA, MES leader Sambhaji Patil passes away|last=|first=|date=18 May 2019|website=[[Daijiworld]]|access-date=2020-03-14}}</ref> 
Manohar Kinekar was a former member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the [[Uchagaon (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Uchagaon constituency]] in 2004, but lost from Balagavi Rural in 2013.<ref name="Frontline_A_dispute" /> 
Arvind Patil, MLA from Khanapur in 2013.

'''MES to field 101 candidates for Belagaum Loksabha'''

The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) which spearheads the movement of pro-Maharashtra leaders for the merger of Belagaum with Maharashtra has decided to field 101 candidates in the forthcoming Loksabha elections to attract the attention of the whole nation to their demand. The security deposit will be collected as voluntary donations and then the 101 candidates will contest the election from belgaum lok sabha constituency <ref>{{Cite web |last=Uday |date=2019-03-27 |title=MES To Field 101 Candidates For Belagavi Loksabha {{!}} All About Belgaum |url=https://allaboutbelgaum.com/loksabha-2019/mes-to-filed-101-candidates-for-belagavi-loksabha/,%20https://allaboutbelgaum.com/loksabha-2019/mes-to-filed-101-candidates-for-belagavi-loksabha/ |access-date=2022-05-21 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Belagavi border dispute]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Political parties in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Belagavi district]]
[[Category:Political parties in India]]
[[Category:Single-issue political parties]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1946]]
[[Category:1946 establishments in India]]

Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti - Revision history

UpdateBot at 06:32, 1 July 2022