Chhagan Bhujbal continues to sulk over cabinet snub, says won’t take any hasty decision

Mumbai: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and MLA Chhagan Bhujbal continued to sulk on Wednesday after being denied a berth in the new Maharashtra cabinet, while also indirectly blaming party president and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar for it.

Addressing a gathering in his hometown of Nashik, the 77-year-old claimed that efforts were being made to muzzle him and announced that he would tour the state to fight against “injustice” to Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Amid speculation over his next move after being snubbed for a cabinet berth, Bhujbal told the gathering that he won’t take any hasty decision. “I will go to Mumbai in a day or two and meet OBC leaders from the country and Maharashtra. After discussions, [I will] probably have to take the next step,” he said.

Speaking about the cabinet snub, Bhujbal told the gathering, “[NCP executive president] Praful Patel and [the party’s state chief] Sunil Tatkare tried hard to ensure that I am inducted [in the cabinet]. Even chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, till the very last minute, insisted on my inclusion. But I was still left out.”

Without naming Ajit Pawar, Bhujbal said it was futile to blame leaders of other parties as every leader is responsible for his respective party. He added that leaders from across parties, including the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Bharatiya Janata Party, had expressed shock over his exclusion. Even Marathas, who had campaigned against him during the assembly elections, were shocked, he said, adding that not all Marathas were his enemies.

“I became a minister many times and sat in the opposition also. I am not unhappy but the insult hurts me. Who will act as a shield for the [OBC] community to address their issues? I will tour Maharashtra and other states for the OBC cause,” he told the rally.

Bhujbal has been sulking ever since the new Maharashtra cabinet was announced on Sunday and even chose to stay away from the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur. The senior NCP leader said he has not spoken to Pawar since the new cabinet was announced. He again claimed that he was excluded because he opposed Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, who has been demanding reservation for the community under the OBC quota.

Bhujbal said that he had supported calls for a separate quota for Marathas on three occasions in the state cabinet, adding that no attempt must be made to eat into other communities’ quotas. Without naming Jarange-Patil, Bhujbal said he lost around 60,000-70,000 votes due to the Maratha activist’s campaign calling for his defeat.

Supporters of the NCP stalwart staged protests in Pune on Tuesday over his exclusion from the cabinet, saying this amounted to an insult to OBCs. An agitation was also held outside Pawar’s bungalow in his hometown Baramati. After some of his supporters hit pictures of Pawar with chappals, Bhujbal told them to exercise restraint while protesting.

The veteran leader also hinted at an OBC backlash in upcoming local body elections in the state. “The elections are not over yet. Elections to local bodies are due. Do not forget that OBCs’ support in the recent assembly elections paved the way for the grand success of the Mahayuti, besides the role of Ladki Bahin scheme,” he said.

Bhujbal claimed he was receiving phone calls from across the country urging him to strengthen OBCs. “Even though I won’t be a minister, I will fight for the cause of OBCs till my last breath and not fall prey to pressure from anyone. Stand together for our problems. Be ready to face more calamities, I will be with you,” he told his supporters.