‘Made nephew deputy CM’: Chhagan Bhujbal, a loyalist's ‘guru dakshina’ to Sharad Pawar

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader from the Ajit Pawar camp Chhagan Bhujbal sent a strong message to party chief Sharad Pawar and appealed all senior politicians to think about the betterment of Maharashtra. Responding to the fuss over using Pawar's photograph by rebel leaders at the new NCP office, Bhujbal echoed other leaders' take and said he consider the party chief as his ‘guru’ and he gave a ‘guru dakshina’ by bringing his party to the position of power.

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“On the ocassion of Guru Purnima, I have given the ‘guru dakshina' by taking the party to the position of power in the state, and also made his nephew (Ajit Pawar) the deputy chief minister,” Bhujbal, who is believed to be a fierce loyalist of Sharad Pawar, told reporters in Mumbai.

NCP saw an unexpected split within the party on Sunday when Ajit Pawar, along with eight party MLAs, joined hands with Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state. What caught off-guard was visuals of Bhujbal swearing in as a state minister along side other rebels.

As the infighting between split factions of the party rambles on, Ajit Pawar has approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) to stake claim of NCP and its symbol, as reported by PTI.

Meanwhile, the Sharad Pawar faction has filed a caveat with the EC urging it to hear them first before passing any directive in connection with the factional fight.