‘One-man show’: Chhagan Bhujbal slams Ajit Pawar for denying cabinet berth | India News – Times of India

Chhagan Bhujbal and Ajit Pawar (File photo)

NASHIK: Disgruntled NCP MLA Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday said Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis, and two top NCP functionaries, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, “tried their best” to convince party president Ajit Pawar to give him a ministerial berth.
“All three (Fadnavis, Patel and Tatkare) wanted me as a minister in the new govt. They made all efforts to convince Ajit dada. On the day of the swearing-in ceremony too, Fadnavis tried to convince him to have me in his cabinet. I don’t know why Ajit dada felt I should not be included. It is for him to explain,” Bhujbal told TOI.
He further added that party presidents should run a party in a ‘democratic manner’ rather than conducting a ‘one-man’ show.
The Yeola MLA said, “It is not healthy for any party to not listen to other senior members. I am angry not because I was denied a ministerial berth but because of how decisions were made about NCP MLAs who would be ministers. It was not a collective decision. I cannot be taken for granted.”
Bhujbal returned to Nashik on Monday night, skipping the assembly session in Nagpur. He also did not attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new ministers in Nagpur on Sunday.
“It is ironic that my party bosses now want me to go to Rajya Sabha. In June this year, I sought a Rajya Sabha nomination as I had been an MLA for years. They then told me that the party needed me in the state assembly. They picked Ajit dada’s wife (Sunetra Pawar) for the Upper House,” Bhujbal said.
He also met loyalists in Nashik and later in his constituency on Tuesday.
“Party workers have advised me not to accept the RS offer as it will send a wrong message to voters in Yeola. I have decided to follow their advice. Despite the Maratha quota issue, voters, including those from the Maratha community, elected me. I could not ignore their sentiments and have rejected the offer,” Bhujbal said, adding that he will not resign as MLA since it would be against the mandate.
On whether he would quit NCP and join another party, Bhujbal said, “I will not say anything at this juncture. I am meeting the members of All-India Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad and people from the OBC community on Wednesday. I will hear their suggestions and then decide.”