Frustrated at being excluded from Maharashtra라이브 바카라 new Mahayuti government, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal claimed that he was offered a seat in the Rajya Sabha eight days ago but declined the offer.
The legislator from Yeola in Nashik district told reporters in Nagpur on Monday that he rejected the Rajya Sabha seat as accepting it would have been a betrayal to his assembly constituency.
“When I wanted to be in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year, I was told that I should fight the assembly elections. I was offered the Rajya Sabha berth eight days ago, but I rejected the offer. I said I could consider the Rajya Sabha option after one or two years but not immediately,” said the former state minister, as reported by news agency PTI.
After being excluded from the state cabinet, Bhujbal mentioned that he had not spoken with NCP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. He suggested that his exclusion stemmed from his stance against activist Manoj Jarange, who had been demanding Maratha community reservations in jobs and education.
“I stood up for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) 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 added.
With regard to his future, Bhujbal, who left for Nashik after the assembly session adjourned on Monday, said, “Let us see. Jahan nahi chaina, wahan nahi rehna (where there is no peace, there is no need to stay). I am an ordinary political worker. It does not matter if I am sidelined or rewarded.” He further stated, “Ministerial berths come and go, but I cannot be finished off.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expanded his cabinet on Sunday. Thirty-nine legislators from Mahayuti allies – the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP – sworn in. This marked the first cabinet expansion of the Devendra Fadnavis-led government. Ten former ministers were dropped, and 16 new faces were introduced.
However, the expansion has stirred controversy. Narendra Bhondekar, an MLA from the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, resigned from all party positions. He cited disappointment over his exclusion from the new cabinet.
Prominent leaders, including former ministers Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil (NCP), Sudhir Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit (BJP), were also not included in the expansion.
