In Maharashtra, the delay in forming the new government and expanding the cabinet has been overshadowed by discussions about Chhagan Bhujbal's dissatisfaction. A senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar, Bhujbal found no place in the cabinet under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis. Disappointed at not being made a minister, Bhujbal targeted Ajit Pawar, questioned the party's functioning, and stated that the Chief Minister wanted him to become a minister and emphasized his name, yet he was removed.
Following this, Chhagan Bhujbal met with CM Devendra Fadnavis. Bhujbal's claims and the meeting amid his displeasure have stirred up speculations. Questions arise as to why Bhujbal, who is disgruntled within his party, seeks the support of CM Fadnavis instead of Ajit Pawar. Why is Bhujbal, a seasoned figure in Maharashtra politics, more reliant on Devendra Fadnavis rather than his party leader Ajit Pawar? This can be understood in four points.
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Bhujbal Considers Ajit as Junior
Chhagan Bhujbal is not just senior to Ajit Pawar in age but also in politics. A two-time former Deputy CM, Bhujbal entered politics in the 1960s and Ajit Pawar's political debut happened in 1982. Being senior both by age and political experience, Bhujbal is considered a leader with stature. He is also known as the first leader who rebelled against the Thackeray family during Bal Thackeray's time and split Shiv Sena into two factions.
In 1991, Bhujbal, along with 18 legislators, rebelled and formed a party named Shiv Sena B, simply because Bal Thackeray made Manohar Joshi the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. Although Bhujbal is part of Ajit-led party, it is said that he still views Ajit as junior. This could be a reason why Bhujbal felt more comfortable discussing ministerial opportunities with leaders at the helm of the government rather than speaking with Ajit.
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The Decision Ultimately Lies with the CM
Bhujbal, who was a minister in the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government before the assembly elections, has been active in politics for almost six decades. Bhujbal understands the complexities and constraints of coalition politics well. It might be that Bhujbal believes that while the alliance partner parties can propose names for ministerial positions from their quotas, the final decision is the Chief Minister's, meaning the decisive role is CM's. Bhujbal added that the CM was emphasizing on making him minister, but he was still removed. Now he needs to find out who rejected his name. This could be why Bhujbal met with Fadnavis to understand how his name got detached from the ministerial race.
Read More: Amid Ajit Pawar's Discontent, Bhujbal Meets Fadnavis, Know What Transpired
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Bhujbal Fits into BJP's 'Madhav' Formula
Chhagan Bhujbal hails from Maharashtra's influential OBC caste, Mali. Known as the biggest face of the Mali caste, Bhujbal fits into BJP's Madhav (Mali, Dhangar, Vanjari) formula. In the Fadnavis cabinet, Pankaja Munde, representing the Vanjari caste, has been included. Dhananjay Munde has also become a minister. Leaders from the Dhangar community are part of the cabinet, yet the biggest leader of the Mali community, Bhujbal, stands outside the cabinet. This could be another reason why Bhujbal brought up BJP's formula to assert his claim for a ministerial berth in front of Fadnavis.
Read More: 'Where There Is No Contentment, There Is No Stay...', Open Rebellion of Chhagan Bhujbal in Maharashtra, Lashes Out Against Ajit Pawar
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Nearly Equal Ministers from Maratha and OBC
The BJP and Mahayuti, after facing a setback from Maratha voters in Lok Sabha elections, focused on OBCs during the assembly elections held under the shadow of Maratha reservation. Mahayuti returned to power with an overwhelming majority. When the new government was formed, OBCs received nearly as many ministerial positions as the Maratha community. In the Fadnavis cabinet, 17 OBC ministers have been appointed, just one more than the 16 ministers from the Maratha community. Representatives from the OBC community also met with Chhagan Bhujbal after he was not appointed minister.
