After the release of Chhagan Bhujbal, the Nationalist Congress Party that is called the Maratha-dominated party, has decided to expand its base by tapping into the Other Backward Category (OBC) vote base, ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The 70-year-old Chhagan Bhujbal, who belongs to the third most important and major Mali community — part of OBC community in Maharashtra, has systematically stitched the network of OBCs through his Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad across the state.
According to the senior NCP leader, in the recent Halla Bol rally in Pune, NCP chief Sharad Pawar hinted that Bhujbal will be the face of OBC leadership. In a symbolic gesture, Pawar, in the rally, also offered topi (cap) of Mahatma Phule to Bhujbal.
“After the demise of BJP leader Gopinath Munde, there was big void in the OBC leadership in Maharashtra. Bhujbal tried to fill it, but he was jailed in connection with an alleged money laundering case. Besides, another senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse was also systematically cut to size over an alleged Pune land scam and was forced to step down from ministry. It happened immediately after BJP came to power. Now we hope that Bhujbal saheb’s release will rejuvenate the OBC community, which was ignored by this BJP-led government in the Centre and the state,” said NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik.
Malik said Khadse has also recently admitted that the OBC leadership has been deliberately ignored by the BJP top brass and expressed his will to work with Bhujbal for the larger OBCs larger interest. “We plan to make an all-party OBC leadership umbrella, comprising people who are against this incumbent government, to press the demands of backward communities. Bhujbal saheb is also receiving overwhelming responses from people. He may also tour the state to connect with all community people. There is huge unrest among several communities that we have to tap,” Malik said.
Political observers said that in CM Devendra Fadnavis’s government, there are OBC community ministers, but hardly anyone has the power to decide. “Therefore, they are not able to influence and implement schemes that can benefit the backward and down-trodden communities,” said the observer.
THE MIDDLEMAN
Bhujbal, who belongs to the third most important and major Mali community, has systematically stitched OBCs through his Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad across the state
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Chhagan Bhujbal and Sharad Pawar")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}