Hurdle for Chhagan Bhujbal even before being named for Nashik LS seat

Maharashtra NDArsquos prominent OBC face Chhagan Bhujbalrsquos name has been doing the rounds as a certainty for the Nashik Lok Sabha constituency which is currently held by a Shinde Sena leaderWith sources saying itrsquos a done deal and that only the announcement remained the Bombay High Court has dealt a blow to Bhujbal in the form of a noticeDischarged two years ago in the Maharashtra Sadan scam he along with the other acquitted accused have been served notices by the Bombay High Court following a review petition filed by Mumbaibased civil activist Anjali DamaniaIt is said the candidature of the NCPAjit Pawar leader who is the food and civil supplies minister in the Eknath Shinde cabinet has been directly cleared by the NDA leaders in New DelhiMoney laundering chargesThe central leaders wanted Shinde Senarsquos sitting MP Hemant Godse to vacate the seat for Bhujbal This had created a tussle between the Mahayuti allies The high court notice now to Bhujbal his son Pankaj and nephew Sameer is expected to give the rival camp a solid reason to oppose his candidature The court has asked the Bhujbals to respond in four weeksChhagan BhujbalDamania said her appeal had been pending for the last 18 months ldquoFive judges said lsquonot before mersquo Then I approached the Supreme Court where the Chief Justice issued a directive for listing the matterrdquo she said adding that on Monday she informed Justice SM Modakrsquos court that the discharge by the sessions court was wrongldquoThe court directed that all acquitted accused be served notices The court also accepted our request that the AntiCorruption Bureau be directed to serve notices to the accused The notice is returnable till April 29 I am confident that the accused will be punishedrdquo she said According to information coaccused and former PWD secretary Deepak Deshpandersquos discharge plea is expected to be taken up in two weeks Bhujbal was tried on money laundering chargeslsquoWe have clean chitrsquoBhujbal said in Nashik that he had been given a clean chit in the matter ldquoOnly Deshpandersquos case is being heard now We wouldnrsquot be here if there was a case against us We would have gone there the HC in Mumbai immediatelyrdquo he saidFadnavis confirmed itMeanwhile Shinde Senarsquos Godse has begun his campaign in Nashik and has been frequenting Mumbai to show his strength and convince the CM to save his seatBut Bhujbal said in his native Yeola on Monday that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had confirmed that the senior leaders were unanimous in clearing his name at the Mayayutirsquos meeting in DelhildquoItrsquos not right to reject the ticket when my party and its alliance partners need me That challenge should be accepted We will have to fight with all our mightrdquo he told the local party workersSources said the Mahayuti wants Bhujbal to contest and win because no politician from his Mali gardener caste has been fielded by other parties Bhujbal leads a national organisation of the Other Backward Castes Akhil Bharatiya Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad which has held big rallies in New Delhi and other cities