Fearing Maratha backlash, candidates not keen to invite Chhagan Bhujbal for campaigning

Maharashtra minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who enjoys considerable support among the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), has refrained from campaigning for party or alliance partners amid the Lok Sabha Elections as many candidates fear that his stand during Maratha agitation may invite backlash from voters.

Bhujbal was also absent during campaigning in Baramati where party chief Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra is locked in a close contest against three-term MP Supriya Sule.

In Shirur too, where OBCs have a sizeable vote bank and polls are scheduled on May 13, Bhujbal has not campaigned so far for the party nominee Shivajirao Adhalrao.

Adhalrao, a Maratha face, is locked in a fight against NCP (SP) nominee Amol Kolhe, who is Mali, a caste under OBC.

Besides Baramati and Shirur, NCP has fielded nominees in Raigad where Sunil Tatkare is contesting against Shiv Sena (UBT) Anant Geete, and Osmababad where sitting MP from Shiv Sena (UBT) Omraje Nimbalkar has locked horns against Archana Patil. In none of these constituencies, Bhujbal was seen campaigning for party candidates, contrary to previous elections where he used to be the party’s star campaigner and attracted huge crowds.

A leader from NCP requesting anonymity said, “Shirur, Beed and Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituencies have sizeable populations of OBCs. But considering the anger of the Maratha community, many of our candidates are not keen to invite Bhujbal for campaigning.”

While Bhujbal was not available for comments, as per posts on his social media accounts, in the last ten days Bhujbal attended only one meeting with NCP office bearers at Yeola for Dindori Lok Sabha candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bharati Pawar. Yeola is in Nashik district and is represented by Bhujbal in the state assembly as an MLA.

He also participated in Bharati Pawar and Shiv Sena candidate from Nashik Hemant Godse’s rallies when they filed nominations earlier this month.

NCP party president Ajit Pawar cited Bhujbal’s poor health for his lack of presence at campaigns. “As Bhujbal’s health has not been good for the last few days, he is not taking part in the campaign,” he said.

Earlier this year, Bhujbal was often seen as the target of pro-quota activists from the Maratha community including Manoj Jarange.

When Bhujbal’s name was discussed as a possible candidate from Nashik, Jarange had said, “Let him stand for election. I will show him his place.

When the Maratha agitation was at its peak, Bhujbal opposed the inclusion of the Maratha community in the Other Backward Class category. He also opposed the government’s decision to issue Kunbi certificates to Marathas.