Supporters Call Vinod Patil Their Bhau and Dada

Step into any Maratha gathering these days, and you’ll hear one chant cutting through the chatter: “जय शिवाजी जय भवानी जय विनोद भाऊ.” The slogans echo from every corner,sometimes from enthusiastic young students, other times from older men, and often from groups just eager to make their voices heard.

People refer to him as Bhau, Saheb, Dada, or Bhaiya. It’s not scripted; it’s casual, like how you’d talk about a friend. A boy holding a banner boldly scrawled in thick black ink exclaimed, “धन्यवाद भाऊ, मराठा युवकांसोबत आहात,” while his friends cheered in agreement.

The atmosphere feels more like a community gathering than a formal rally. Dust hangs in the air, drums beat rhythmically, and flags flutter in the heat. There are no flashy setups or staged performances, just people coming together to make their voices count.

Vinod S N Patil himself blends right in. He strolls through the crowd, shakes hands, and nods when people call out his name. There’s nothing grand about it; he’s just a leader keeping pace with the folks who reach out to him.

One young man, a bit worn out but still smiling, captured the moment perfectly: “Wah Bhaiya, हे ट्रेलर नाहीये, इतिहास लिहिला जातोय.” The crowd picked up the chant again, this time even louder.

As the day wound down, the echo remained the same: “जय शिवाजी जय भवानी जय विनोद भाऊ.”