I resigned as minister last November; will fight for OBCs till end: Chhagan Bhujbal

Chhagan Bhujbal

Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal who has allegedly accused the state government of facilitating the backdoor entry of the Maratha community into the OBC quota, on Saturday reportedly disclosed that he had tendered his resignation from the state cabinet last November, reported the PTI.

Addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar, Chhagan Bhujbal, who belongs to the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the NCP, reiterated that he was not opposed to Marathas getting the reservation but is against sharing the existing OBC quota, as per the PTI.

"Many leaders from the Opposition, even leaders from my government say that I should resign. Someone said Chhagan Bhujbal should be sacked from the Cabinet. I want to tell leaders from the Opposition, government, and my party that ahead of the OBC Elgar rally held in Ambad on November 17, I resigned from the cabinet on November 16 and then went to attend that event," he said, according to the PTI.

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Chhagan Bhujbal further said he kept quiet for more than two months because the chief minister and the Dy CM asked him not to speak about it.

"There is no need for sacking. I have tendered my resignation. I will fight for the OBC till the end," the senior Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader added, the news agency reported.

Chhagan Bhujbal's remarks come against the backdrop of demand from some sections demanding his resignation as Food and Civil Supplies minister as he has been criticising the state government over its handling of Maratha quota demand.

He had accused the government of pandering to the demands of Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange.

A Shiv Sena MLA from the Eknath Shinde camp had said that Chhagan Bhujbal should be sacked for trying to create a rift in society.

"We do not oppose the reservation to the Maratha community, but give it to them separately. Do not give it under our (OBC) quota. But they (Manoj Jarange) say give it from the OBC quota," Chhagan Bhujbal added, the PTI reported.

He alleged the process of gathering data to determine the Maratha community's backwardness through a survey by the state backward classes commission is flawed.

"While OBCs constitute 54-60 per cent of the state population, SC/STs 20 per cent, and Brahmins 3 per cent, yet all MLAs and MPs are scared of losing Maratha votes," he said, the news agency reported on Saturday.

Chhagan Bhujbal claimed OBC MLAs don't even help in funding rallies let alone participating.

(with PTI inputs)