Ousted Chhagan Bhujbal plans rally in Pune as a ‘show of strength’

An apparently upset Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal has planned a huge rally in the bastion of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, the senior NCP leader who replaced Bhujbal in the new government.   

Bhujbal’s public gathering will take place at BJ Medical Ground on November 28 in the city on the occasion of the death anniversary of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. It will be a rally of the other backward communities (OBCs).

The rally is supposed to be a show of strength by Bhujbal to drive home the point to the party high command that he is ‘still a force to reckon with’ in the party.

Much to the annoyance of Bhujbal, party supremo and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar appointed his nephew Ajit Pawar as the deputy chief minister.

This decision taken by the senior Pawar antagonised Bhujbal and his supporters Interestingly, this is the first time that Bhujbal has called for a public meeting in Pune, which is supposed to the stronghold of Ajit Pawar. Sources close to Bhujbal admitted that the selection of this venue was intentional.

However, district NCP leaders are in a quandary. If they take part in the rally, it would annoy the new deputy chief minister and if they do not attend it, it would send a wrong message to the OBC electorate, which constitutes a sizeable number in Pune district.