NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal met Maharashtra CM Fadnavis to discuss political and social matters, focusing on OBC issues and Bhujbal's exclusion from the new cabinet.
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Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who has expressed discontent over not being included in the newly-formed Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, met with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Monday. The 30-minute meeting, which took place at Fadnavis’s residence in the city, also included Bhujbal’s nephew Sameer Bhujbal.
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Addressing reporters after the meeting, Bhujbal shared that the conversation had revolved around the current political and social climate in Maharashtra. He mentioned that the Chief Minister had emphasised the vital role played by the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the overwhelming victory of the Mahayuti alliance during the state assembly elections held on November 20.
“Fadnavis assured me that the interests of the OBC community, which has been crucial to the Mahayuti's success, would be safeguarded," Bhujbal said, adding that the Chief Minister had assured him that decisions on issues related to OBCs would be made thoughtfully. Bhujbal revealed that Fadnavis has requested a period of 10 to 12 days to consider the concerns raised during the meeting.
The OBC community in Maharashtra has been protesting against activist Manoj Jarange’s demand for Maratha reservation within the OBC category, a matter which has been a source of contention. Bhujbal, an influential figure in the state’s OBC circles, has been outspoken in his opposition to Jarange’s demands and the potential shift of Maratha reservations into the OBC category.
When asked whether he was considering joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bhujbal declined to comment directly. However, he did allude to his frustration over being overlooked during the latest cabinet expansion. Notably, Bhujbal had chosen to stay away from the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur, leaving for Nashik after the first day of the session. This absence came just a day after 39 Mahayuti legislators took oath as ministers in the new government.
Chhagan Bhujbal, who represents the Yevla constituency in Nashik district, has remained a prominent figure in Maharashtra’s political scene. The Mahayuti alliance, comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction, and Ajit Pawar's NCP, emerged victorious with 230 out of 288 seats in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections.
(With inputs from PTI)
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