Mumbai:
Nationalist Congress Party chief Chhagan Bhujbal’s clear and robust message that he’s not comfortable at being overlooked of the Maharashtra authorities, has raised appreciable curiosity within the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi camp. Not solely has the Congress despatched feelers to Mr Bhujbal, a remark by Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena UBT, has sparked hypothesis.
“I felt unhappy for Bhujbal. He is in contact with me, once in a while,” Mr Thackeray instructed reporters at present.
Congress veteran Dr Nitin Raut, a five-time MLA from Nagpur North Assembly constituency and a outstanding Dalit chief, mentioned at present that “a gross injustice” has been achieved with Mr Bhujbal and the OBC (Other Backward Classes) group”.
“You (Bhujbal) have belatedly realised the strategy of those individuals to work in opposition to the OBCs and backwards lessons. You should ponder about who you wish to stick with and the way… If a succesful particular person such as you is able to work with us, then we’re ready to welcome you,” Mr Raut mentioned.
Even the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar has been loud of their expressions of sympathy.
Senior occasion chief Jitendra Awhad mentioned not together with Mr Bhujbal within the cupboard is a transfer to “finish” his political profession.
“Looking at his age, temperament, his combat, he ought to have gotten justice. The Maratha-OBC divide was engineered by the (Eknath Shinde-led) authorities… Now, the identical Bhujbal has been relegated to the rear seat,” he mentioned.
Mr Bhujbal has made it clear that he would take some motion, although he has left everybody guessing on what it could be.
His “Jaha nahi chaina, waha nahi rehna (no staying the place there is no such thing as a peace)” remark has led to hypothesis that he would possibly be part of the BJP or float his personal occasion.
What he has made clear is that he’s upset with the highest leaders of his occasion — Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel.
“It was by no means about inclusion within the cupboard,” he mentioned, whereas explaining how he was overlooked of the council of ministers regardless of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clearing his identify.
“The means I’ve been handled is objectionable. We simply need to hearken to the orders of three individuals. There is not any participation in any respect. We haven’t any clue what’s going on,” the NCP chief mentioned.
Mr Bhujbal’s supporters throughout the NCP, in the meantime, have hit the streets. Protests had been held in Pune and outdoors the bungalow of Ajit Pawar in Baramati.
Former ministers Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil of the NCP and Sudhir Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit of the BJP are among the many outstanding leaders who did not make it to the state cupboard.