Prominent OBC leader and Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal refuted claims of being sidelined within the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress party despite criticising the State government’s handling of the Maratha quota agitation.
“I am a minister, and so far, no one in the party has spoken against me,” he affirmed, adding that Ajit Pawar acknowledged his right to advocate for the OBCs, a stance he has maintained consistently.
Responding to Shiv Sena legislator Sanjay Gaikawad’s demand of removing Mr. Bhujabal from the State cabinet, the 76-year-old leader said, “I want to tell Mr. Gaikwad that I was a senior professor at the ‘Shiv Sena institute’ where he studied, but Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has all rights to remove me from his cabinet.”
Mr. Gaikwad had said Mr. Bhujbal should be “kicked” out of the cabinet for opposing the decision of the State government to provide Kunbi (OBC) certificates to Marathas.
The NCP leader also dismissed the claims of joining the Bharatiya Janata Party and clarified no such proposal had been offered to him.
Meanwhile, the Maratha quota survey by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission, concluded on February 2, with no extension granted, as confirmed by the MSBCC in a letter to district collectors and municipal commissioners on Thursday.
The survey’s software was closed at 11:59 p.m., and officials were instructed to report completion by 10 a.m. on February 3.
“The officials concerned should inform all the enumerators to complete their survey tomorrow within the stipulated time. The commission should be informed about the completion of the report by 10 a.m. on February 3 by submitting a certificate,” the letter said.
