Mumbai: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal has launched a full-scale rebellion against party chief Ajit Pawar, accusing him of treating him like a “toy” and publicly questioning his exclusion from the recently expanded Maharashtra cabinet.
Bhujbal’s anger is igniting protests across the state, fueled by accusations that the snub constitutes an insult to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community he represents.”Do you think whenever you tell me I will stand up, whenever you tell me I will sit down and contest the elections? What will the people in my constituency feel if I resign?” he questioned.
The drama unfolded after the Maharashtra cabinet expansion on Sunday, which saw 39 new ministers inducted, but notably excluded Bhujbal, a veteran leader and former minister. This omission, along with the exclusion of other prominent leaders, has sparked widespread discontent within the NCP. Bhujbal’s supporters have taken to the streets in Pune and Baramati, staging protests outside the district collectorate and Ajit Pawar’s bungalow, respectively.
Bhujbal’s grievances extend beyond the cabinet snub. He alleges that he was initially urged to contest the Lok Sabha elections in May, only to have his candidature withdrawn at the last minute. He further claims that he was recently offered a Rajya Sabha seat, after winning the assembly election from Yeola, a move he interprets as a manipulative tactic. This series of events, in Bhujbal’s view, demonstrates a lack of respect and strategic manoeuvring by Ajit Pawar.
“I accepted the suggestion to contest Lok Sabha elections from Nashik. When I wanted to be in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year, I was asked to fight the assembly elections. I was offered a Rajya Sabha seat eight days ago which I rejected.”They didn’t listen to me then, now they are giving it (Rajya Sabha seat). Am I a toy in your hands? he asked.
His public pronouncements have been pointed and defiant. He openly questions his position within the party, lamenting the lack of a powerful voice to represent the OBC community within the government. He declared his intention to campaign statewide, mobilising OBC support and challenging Ajit Pawar’s leadership directly. While avoiding directly naming Ajit Pawar, he issued a thinly veiled threat, declaring “rasta toh mera hai” (the path is mine), signalling his determination to continue his fight within the party and in the state legislature.
Bhujbal’s discontent resonates deeply within the OBC community, who perceive his exclusion as a deliberate slight. Protesters emphasize his seniority and experience, arguing that his omission from the cabinet is an affront to the community’s representation within the government.
“Despite being the senior-most leader in NCP, Bhujbal was denied a cabinet berth which is an insult to the OBC community. If you had decided to allot cabinet posts to the senior leaders, then why did the same parameter not apply to Bhujbal?” asked one of the protesters protesting for Bhujbal’s induction in the cabinet, Free Press Journal.
