Assertion (A): Shivaji aimed at establishing Maratha rule in Delhi.
Reason (R): Shivaji took the leadership of the Maratha resistance against the Mughals.

This was an era when the Mughals and the Marathas were constantly at war for control over the Deccan. In 1674, Shivaji had been crowned the ruler of the independent Maratha kingdom established by him. Under his able leadership, the empire quickly became a key political force in India at the height of Mughal power.