Jalna, Sept. 2 -- Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Wednesday ended his hunger strike by drinking water offered by BJP MLA Prasad Lad, even as he maintained that he would remain firm on his demands and would call off the agitation only after their implementation begins.

Jarange said that he had accepted water from Lad but made it clear that ending the immediate hunger strike did not mean withdrawing from the demands raised by the Maratha community.

"I remain firm on my demands. I will not withdraw my indefinite hunger strike until all our demands are implemented," Jarange said.

Jarange said the Maratha community's claim to reservation was valid and argued that it is their rightful entitlement.

"We do not want even 1%...