MUMBAI: Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who is sulking over his exclusion from the newly formed Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Monday.
Bhujbal, accompanied by his nephew Sameer Bhujbal, had a 30-minute meeting with Fadnavis at the CM’s residence, ‘Sagar’ bungalow.
After the meeting, Bhujbal shared that he discussed the current political and social situation in the state with the chief minister.
“Fadnavis told me that the Other Backward Classes have played an important role in the landslide victory of the Mahayuti in the assembly elections (held on November 20), and he will take care that the OBC community’s interests are not harmed,” Bhujbal said.
Fadnavis also requested time to consider the issues concerning the OBCs and assured Bhujbal that a decision would be made within the next 10 to 12 days, the NCP leader further added.
Bhujbal has been vocal in opposing activist Manoj Jarange’s demand for the Maratha community to be included in the Other Backward Class (Kunbi) category.
When asked about the possibility of joining the BJP, Bhujbal declined to elaborate but reiterated that he had already voiced his concerns about being left out of the ministry expansion.
On Sunday, Bhujbal met representatives of OBC organizations from across Maharashtra in the city. Additionally, the NCP leader, who represents the Yevla constituency in Nashik district, skipped the recent winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur. He left for Nashik on the first day of the session, a day after 39 Mahayuti MLAs took oath as ministers.
The Mahayuti coalition, which consists of the BJP, Shiv Sena (led by Eknath Shinde), and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, secured 230 out of 288 seats in the state assembly elections held last month.
(With inputs from agencies)
