Maharashtra: Upset over denial of ministerial berth, Bhujbal rejects NCP's Rajya Sabha offer

Nagpur, Dec 16 (IANS) Veteran Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who is sulking over party chief Ajit Pawar's decision to deny him a ministerial berth in the newly formed Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra Cabinet, on Monday rejected the party's offer to go to Rajya Sabha, saying his decision to go to the Upper House of the Parliament will be a betrayal with the voters of the Yevala constituency. 

A visibly upset Bhujbal, who is the founder of Samata Parishad working for the development of OBCs, said: "The party leadership, about seven to eight days ago, asked me to go to the Rajya Sabha. I wanted to go to the Rajya Sabha earlier, but they didn't give me a chance. They told me that you should contest the Assembly election. They also told me that 'the party will not win Yevala without you'. I fought and got elected with a good number of votes.

"But now, I can't go immediately... it would be a betrayal to the voters of my constituency. Going to the Rajya Sabha means I will have to resign from the Legislative Assembly. This is sad for me. I definitely can't betray the voters. I will not leave those who loved me by overwhelmingly voting for me. Let's see after a year or two whether to go to Rajya Sabha"

Bhujbal also hinted that he may not attend the Winter Session but leave for Mumbai, citing "a lot of work".

"Even when members from both sides were attacking me in the assembly, I stood up for the OBCs. I fought the fight for the OBCs. The MahaYuti alliance reported a landslide victory because of Ladki Bahin Yojana and also after the OBC factor worked in its favour," said Bhujbal.

Bhujbal said he would continue to fight for the OBC cause.

"I am a fighter and will fight to safeguard the interest of the OBCs and for their development,” he declared.

The NCP veteran could not hide his displeasure over the move to deny him a ministerial berth in the Devendra Fadnavis-led council of ministers.

He was a minister in the previous Eknath Shinde-led Cabinet.

Bhujbal, under the leadership of Ajit Pawar, deserted Sharad Pawar and joined MahaYuti in July 2023.

Despite being isolated in the NCP and in the MahaYuti, Bhujbal took head-on pro-Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil opposing reservation to the Maratha community from the OBC quota.

Political analysts believe that Bhujbal was a natural claimant for the ministerial berth in the new MahaYuti government, expecting a reward for his fight over the OBC reservation issue.

His pro-OBC stand coincided with the BJP’s pitch to mobilise OBCs in the run-up to the assembly election.

Sources said that Bhujbal is pained as his efforts to take up the OBC cause did not get due recognition in the party.