Chhagan Bhujbal, a cabinet minister in Maharashtra, claimed that despite their affiliation with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they had not given up their ideology, and criticised NCP founder Sharad Pawar for changing his stand on joining hands with the BJP on multiple occasions.
Speaking to reporters at Mahatma Phule Wada in Pune, Bhujbal claimed that in 2014, after the BJP took office without the Shiv Sena's assistance following the Assembly elections, Sharad Pawar announced his support for the party. Bhujbal claimed 45 of the 53 NCP MLAs have gone with Ajit Pawar and said, “What would have I done by remaining outside.
That time I wondered and said we are in the Opposition. In 2017 also, when I was in jail, five leaders from the NCP and five leaders from the BJP discussed about NCP’s induction in the government. That time, the BJP was told to drop its ally Shiv Sena to pave the way for a BJP-NCP government. Then also he (Pawar senior) backtracked, he claimed.
Asked whether he has changed his ideology, from being a follower of social reformers like Mahatma Phule to now aligning with Hindutva forces, Bhujbal said they have not merged with the BJP. Nitish Kumar (Bihar CM) was with them (BJP), he left Mamata Banerjee was there (in BJP-led NDA), she came out. Though we have aligned with them, we have not left our ideology, he said.
To a question, Bhujbal said on July 2 he did receive a call from Sharad Pawar and told the latter he will go to the Raj Bhavan and see what was happening there. He also claimed the former Union minister often takes decisions without consulting others.
I told him I will go (to Raj Bhavan) and check what is happening, but that did not mean I did not know anything. He (Sharad Pawar) announced his resignation (as party chief in May) without telling us. He withdrew it without telling us. He holds discussions in Delhi, but we are not told, the minister said.