"When we joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), I was urged to take the post of Agriculture Minister," said Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday. He also claimed that party president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar himself had urged him a lot for this.
After a video of Minister Manikrao Kokate allegedly playing rummy in the Legislative Assembly went viral, the opposition increased the pressure for his resignation. Seeing the aggression of the opposition, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis removed Kokate from the post of Agriculture Minister and gave him the responsibility of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department. Bhujbal made the claim when he was asked about this.
Bhujbal said, "We initially joined hands with the BJP-Shiv Sena government led by Eknath Shinde. At that time, Ajit dada took over as the Finance Minister. He asked me to take whatever portfolio I wanted. We also discussed this. Ajit dada strongly urged me to take the agriculture portfolio. He suggested that the agriculture portfolio is good; you take it. However, since I have been doing politics in Mumbai, I suggested that this portfolio be given to a person from the rural area. Therefore, that portfolio did not come to me."
I am always sensitive to the issues of farmers:
Minister Bhujbal said, "I am always sensitive to the issues of farmers. However, those who have in-depth knowledge of this are from rural areas. Therefore, now Dattatray Bharane will do justice to this position. A person who has lived in a rural area since childhood can do more justice. Every portfolio is important. Its success depends on how we work on it."
