Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal has stirred political chatter with his revelation that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was keen on inducting him into the cabinet during its first expansion in December 2024. Bhujbal, who was finally sworn in on May 20 this year, confirmed that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were supportive of his induction at the time, but it didn’t materialize then due to internal dynamics.
Speaking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Bhujbal (77), a veteran OBC face in Maharashtra politics, said his return to the Mahayuti 2.0 government—after being sidelined post the BJP-led coalition’s landslide 2024 Assembly victory—was backed strongly by Fadnavis. “It’s true. Even during the first cabinet expansion, Fadnavis saheb had insisted on including me. PM Modi and Amit Shah also tried, but it didn’t happen then,” Bhujbal said.
The NCP stalwart dismissed speculations about BJP control over his appointment, clarifying, “I’m not a BJP minister, I’m an NCP minister. The NCP decides who becomes a minister, the CM only gives suggestions.”
His remarks come amid reported internal resistance within the NCP over his re-entry into the cabinet, especially with ongoing tensions over the OBC versus Maratha quota debate. Bhujbal, known for his firm opposition to including Marathas under the OBC reservation bracket, also reacted to activist Manoj Jarange’s announcement of a fresh protest in August. Without elaborating, he simply said, “We are also ready.”
Asked about who would be appointed guardian minister of Nashik—his stronghold—Bhujbal refrained from comment, signaling he wasn’t looking to escalate turf battles within the coalition. A multiple-term MLA from Yeola in Nashik district, Bhujbal’s cabinet role reasserts his political relevance in Maharashtra’s shifting alliance equations.
