Keeping Quiet Because of Dada: Pune NCP Chief Deepak Mankar Says They Can Also Give a Befitting Reply to Chhagan Bhujbal Supporters

NCP Chief of Pune unit Deepak Mankar on Wednesday said they can also give a befitting reply to Chhagan Bhujbal supporters but they are keeping quiet because of Dada (Ajit Pawar).

This comes a day after supporters of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stalwart Chhagan Bhujbal staged protests in Pune on Tuesday over his exclusion from the new Maharashtra cabinet, saying this amounted to an insult of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). An agitation was also held outside the bungalow of Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in his hometown Baramati in Pune district. A protester demanded Ajit Pawar make an announcement assigning the deputy chief minister's post to Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, after 2.5 years.

"Chhagan Bhujbal kept the ministerial post entire life. Dada (Ajit Pawar) has got 10 ministerial posts (NCP in Mahayuti govt) of which he has given 4 posts to these people (OBC community). The way protests were held at many places in Pune - we can also give a befitting reply but we are keeping quiet because of Dada... It's wrong," Mankar said while speking to ANI.

"Just 2 months back Dada made Chhagan Bhujbal's son an MLC as he doesn't have the capacity to get elected. When the party split, Chhagan Bhujbal became the first person to get into the ministry...," he added.

Bhujbal asks supporters to observe restraint

Meanwhile, Bhujbal said that putting up banners against Ajit Pawar, throwing slippers at his photos, and making baseless statements were not acceptable actions. He stated that such behavior indicated a lack of alignment with the group's principles. While supporters were free to express their pain and anger, it was important to do so in a respectful and civil manner, he added.