Dislodged Deputy CM, who said he was fine by the NCP's choice of Ajit Pawar as Dy CM, had to be pacified by Praful Patel, Sharad Pawar and the lure of a bigger post
Dislodged Deputy CM, who said he was fine by the NCP's choice of Ajit Pawar as Dy CM, had to be pacified by Praful Patel, Sharad Pawar and the lure of a bigger postu00a0
While Chhagan Bhujpal, unceremoniously shunted out of the chair of Deputy Chief Minister, said yesterday that he welcomed his party's decision installing Ajit Pawar in his place, his elaborate theatrics implied anything but that.
The drama continued until late last night, when after a tantrum Bhujbal threw before coming to a Nationalist Congress Party meeting last afternoon, things got so bad that party supremo Sharad Pawar had to fly down last night to explain the situation to the spurned minister, with the help of a better position for the miffed former minister.
Many moods of the man In a Congress-NCP meeting on Tuesday night, when the crucial decisions had been made, it was clear that Ajit Pawar would be the next DCM.
Sources from the Congress ministry said, "It had been decided that Bhujpal would hold the Dy CM's post for a certain period of time and not beyond that. But he never expected to be shunted out this way."
But after another meeting yesterday afternoon, there was little doubt about Bhujbal's discontent.
A politician present at the meeting said, "It was clearly visible that Bhujpal was not happy with the decision. He felt that the lobby was set against him.
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He tried to behave normally but he was really upset with the whole meeting and Ajit Pawar's election as the Dy CM."
A party workerBhujbal had said earlier that he was a party worker and it was up to the NCP to decide upon his future responsibilities.
"Since morning, he has been annoyed with NCP chief Sharad Pawar for putting his kin's name forward for the post.
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It was all decided before the 3 pm meeting today to announce Ajit Pawar as the new Dy CM," a source said, "Bhujpal knew about this and did not attend the meeting.
Later Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel went to his residence in South Mumbai to get him to the meeting. The two talked for over an hour during which Bhujpal vented his anger over the Pawars and said it was not done."
When the tete-a-tete with Patel was over, Bhujpal came to the meeting, with apparent calm. But it took Sharad Pawar a flight to the city, with a big post in tow, to actually placate the irate party worker.
Sources said, "It was after an hour of discussions that Sharad Pawar spoke to Bhujbal. Pawar had by then decided to come to Mumbai in the night to provide him with a better position."
The Other SideChhagan Bhujbal did not respond to MiD DAY's phone calls and text messages.
But the spokesperson for NCP, Madan Bafna, said, "The decision of Ajit Pawar being the DCM will not affect the party or Bhujbal. He himself has proposed his name. Bhujbal's new post will be known by tomorrow evening."
