Chhagan Bhujbal: Wanted to fight from Nashik, was keen on RS nomination as I wish to become an MP

Pune: Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said on Friday that he desires to become an MP and that’s why he was ready to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Nashik and also keen on Rajya Sabha nomination.

Bhujbal was replying to questions over reports claiming that he was upset after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar was nominated for the Upper House.

Asked if injustice was meted out to him over Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha tickets, the prominent OBC leader said the question should be asked to “them”.

Sunetra Pawar on Thursday filed nomination papers as the NCP candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll, days after she lost the Lok Sabha elections from Baramati. The bypoll was necessitated after Praful Patel vacated his seat and got elected for the full term of six years in February.

“It is my desire (to become an MP). That is why I was ready to contest from Nashik Lok Sabha seat. As I had been told that my ticket was finalised in Delhi, I had started working but when the decision (to announce the name) dragged on for a month, I stopped as there was enough humiliation,” said Bhujbal.

He said Hemant Godse of Shiv Sena, NCP’s partner in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, was also trying to get the ticket from Nashik. Bhujbal said he then decided he would be okay with whoever got the ticket. Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Rajabhau Waje won the Nashik seat.

Bhujbal said when it comes to party affairs, not all things fall in place as per one’s wishes.

“There could be reasons (for not giving him tickets). Sometimes, it’s destiny or some sort of compulsion,” he said.

He did not respond when asked if “dynastic politics” was at play in NCP.

On Thursday, Bhujbal had said that though he was keen on a Rajya Sabha ticket, he was not upset with Sunetra Pawar’s nomination, which he described as a "collective decision" of the party.

On his party’s dull performance in the Lok Sabha elections, where NCP won one of the four seats it contested in the state, Bhujbal said it should be analysed why Mahayuti lagged.

About RSS’ criticism of the BJP over its alliance with NCP, Bhujbal said it was natural for them to be upset. “Of the 48 seats in the state, how many seats did NCP get to contest? We got only four seats. Of these, on Raigad and Baramati were core NCP seats and we won Raigad,” he said.

Bhujbal said the BJP didn’t do well in states like Uttar Pradesh.

“So it is not appropriate to say that the results were not in favour of Mahayuti because of the alliance with NCP,” he said.

Asked about the upcoming assembly polls, Bhujbal said their party should get 15 to 20 more seats.