26 October,2009 07:27 PM IST | | IANS
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s Chhagan Bhujbal has been appointed the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra for the third time, a top party leader announced.
Senior NCP leader Praful Patel announced Bhujbal's selection as the NCP Legislature Party leader and the deputy chief minister at a press conference on Monday evening.
Bhujbal pipped strong contenders - state NCP chief RR Patil, and party strongman Ajit Pawar, nephew of party leader Sharad Pawar - to the coveted post.
The aggressive former Shiv Sainik, Bhujbal was the state deputy chief minister from October 18, 1999-Dec 23, 2003.
He was re-appointed December 4, 2008, for a second term to the post, but minus the home portfolio that earlier went with it.
