Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday launched a veiled attack on party president Ajit Pawar over his exclusion from the new council of ministers, claiming Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was in favour of his induction in the cabinet.
He said Ajit Pawar, the NCP president, makes decisions for the party like Fadnavis for the BJP and Eknath Shinde for the Shiv Sena.
Amid speculation over his "Jahan nahi chaina, wahan nahi rehna" remark a day before, Bhujbal said he would speak on Wednesday after discussing with NCP workers and people from the Yeola constituency.
The prominent OBC leader said he wasn't disappointed about not being made a minister but felt humiliated by his treatment.
Speaking to reporters in Nashik, Bhujbal claimed that he was asked to contest Lok Sabha elections in May but his name was never finalised. Weeks after winning assembly elections from Yeola seat, Bhujbal said he was recently offered a Rajya Sabha seat.
"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.
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.
"I have confirmed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis insisted on my inclusion in the state cabinet. The chief of each party in the Mahayuti alliance decides for his party. Fadnavis for BJP, Eknath Shinde for Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar for NCP," he said.
Fadnavis expanded his cabinet in Nagpur on Sunday and inducted 39 new members in his team 19 from the BJP, 11 from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 9 from Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Bhujbal was among 10 ministers who were dropped from the new council of ministers, which has 16 new faces.
The former food and civil supplies minister had expressed his disappointment and skipped the winter session of the state legislature. He returned to his constituency Yeola in Nashik district.
"I was asked to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Nashik on the insistence of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. I prepared for over a month. I received support from various sections. However, at the last moment, my name was not announced, and I had to withdraw from the contest," he said.
The NCP leader said he had later expressed his desire for a Rajya Sabha seat, and was told that Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar, and Nitin Patil were being considered.
"I accepted the party's decision even then. I had said my experience would be useful in the Rajya Sabha, but I was told I was needed in Maharashtra," he claimed.
"After contesting and winning the state assembly elections, I am told to move to Rajya Sabha. For this, Nitin Patil will be asked to resign. I was denied the opportunity when I wanted it. My constituents fought hard for me in this election. How can I ask them to accept my resignation now?" he questioned.
Bhujbal told NCP leadership that he would consider accepting the Rajya Sabha offer after one or two years once everything is settled in his constituency.
"When I made this suggestion, I was told a discussion would be held, but no one discussed it so far," he claimed.
When asked who was responsible for his exclusion from the council of ministers, Bhujbal said, "I will have to find out".
"The question is not of the ministerial berth but the way I was insulted. I will tell you more about it after holding discussions with my workers and people from the constituency tomorrow," he said.
Bhujbal further said he had not spoken to NCP head and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar after being denied the cabinet berth.
A day earlier, Bhujbal claimed he had been excluded from the cabinet because he took on Maratha activist Manoj Jarange.
"I stood up for the Other Backward Classes community when the Maratha quota activist was demanding its inclusion in the OBC category. The Ladki Bahin scheme and OBCs helped the Mahayuti win the elections," he had said.
Asked about his future course, Bhujbal had said, "Let's see. Jahan nahi chaina, wahan nahi rehna.
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