Nagpur: Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday launched a veiled attack on party president Ajit Pawar for not including him in the new cabinet. Bhujbal claimed that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was in favour of including him in the cabinet. Bhujbal, who has held several important responsibilities in the Maharashtra government, said amid speculations about his 'Jahan nahi chaina, wahan nahi rahna' remark made a day earlier that he would say something on Wednesday after talking to NCP workers and people of Yeola constituency.

'Rajya Sabha seat was offered'

The powerful OBC leader also said that he was not disappointed at not being made a minister but felt humiliated by the way he was treated. Bhujbal claimed in Nashik that he was asked to contest the Lok Sabha elections in May but his name was never finalised. A few weeks after winning the assembly election from Yeola seat, Bhujbal said that he was recently told of a Rajya Sabha seat. "I had accepted the suggestion to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Nashik. When I wanted to go to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year, I was asked to contest the assembly elections. I was offered a Rajya Sabha seat 8 days ago, which I declined," he said.

'Am I a toy in your hands?'

Bhujbal asked, 'They did not listen to me then, now they are giving it (Rajya Sabha seat). Am I a puppet in your hands? Do you think I will stand up whenever you tell me, I will sit down and contest whenever you tell me? What will the people of my constituency feel if I resign? I confirm that Fadnavis wanted to include me in the cabinet. In the Mahayuti alliance, the head of each party decides for his party. Fadnavis decides for BJP, Eknath Shinde for Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar for NCP.'

Bhujbal is among the 10 ministers removed from the cabinet

Let us tell you that Fadnavis expanded his cabinet in Nagpur on Sunday and included 39 new members in his team. This included 19 MLAs from BJP, 11 from Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 9 from Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Bhujbal is among the 10 ministers who have been dropped from the new cabinet which has 16 new faces. Bhujbal, former Food and Civil Supplies Minister of the state, had expressed his disappointment over this and did not attend the winter session of the state legislature. He returned to his constituency Yeola in Nashik district.