Upset about exclusion from new Mahayuti cabinet; will decide future course: Bhujbal

Nagpur: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday expressed his disappointment at not being included in the new Mahayuti government and said he would decide his future course after talking to people from his constituency.

Speaking to reporters, Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, claimed he had been excluded from the cabinet because he took on activist Manoj Jarange, who has been demanding reservation for the Maratha community in jobs and education.

Thirty-nine legislators from Mahayuti allies, the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, were sworn in on Sunday in the first cabinet expansion of the Devendra Fadnavis-led government. Ten former ministers were dropped from the cabinet, and 16 new faces have been introduced.

Former ministers Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil of NCP and Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit of BJP were some prominent leaders who didn't make it.

Bhujbal, who served as the food and civil supplies minister in the previous Mahayuti government, said he was upset at not being included in the new cabinet.

"I am an ordinary political worker. It doesn't matter if I am sidelined or rewarded," he said.

Bhujbal said, "Ministerial berths come and go, but he cannot be finished off."

Asked about his future course, the legislator from the Yeola constituency in Nashik district said, "Let me see. Let me think it over. I will talk to my constituency and discuss with the Samata Parishad.''

After the cabinet expansion on Sunday, Fadnavis said Mahayuti allies have agreed to conduct a "performance audit" of ministers during their tenure.

Bhujbal, however, declined to comment on the performance audit of ministers.

Meanwhile, angered by the former minister's exclusion, his supporters held demonstrations in Nashik district on Monday.

The NCP leader's supporters staged a rasta roko agitation at Vinchur on the Nashik-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar state highway in the morning.

Protestors warned of intensifying their agitation if Bhujbal is denied rightful honour.

Demonstrations were also held in front of the NCP office in the Mumbai Naka area of Nashik city. Angry supporters had burnt tyres in the area on Sunday evening.

Former minister Deepak Kesarkar, who was also dropped, said he wasn't upset.

"When we authorised our party leader to make a decision, we have to abide by it and share the happiness of the newly sworn-in ministers. There are political compulsions as the party leader has to give representation to all regions and communities," the Shiv Sena leader said.

Congress leader Bhai Jagtap said the performance audit of ministers has no meaning.

"If a minister doesn't perform, why wait for two and half years? The duration cannot be a parameter for the performance audit. In the next two and half years, a people's movement will come up against electronic voting machines," he said.