Chhagan Bhujbal, OBC stalwart who kept himself relevant amid changes in Maharashtra politics

Chhagan Bhujbal, veteran NCP leader, navigates Maharashtra politics, facing controversies while advocating for OBC reservations and facing exclusion from cabinet.

Veteran Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal, a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics, has weathered many storms but managed to stay relevant and take his place as the oldest minister in the State Cabinet.

A prominent Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader, Mr. Bhujbal has had an eventful political career spanning several decades and has kept himself afloat amid changes in Maharashtra politics over the last few years.

Born on October 15, 1947, in Nashik, Mr. Bhujbal's political career began with the Shiv Sena in the 1980s, winning the Mazgaon assembly seat (Mumbai) in 1986 and 1990. He served as Mumbai's mayor from 1990 to 1991, building a reputation as an orator, and his early loyalty to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray defined his rise in the party. As a Sena leader, he had demanded a statue of Nathuram Godse, the key accused in Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, in Mumbai.

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Mr. Bhujbal left the Shiv Sena in 1991, citing Mr. Thackeray's alleged opposition to the implementation of recommendations of the Mandal Commission, and joined the Congress, and by 1999, he aligned with Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He served as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1999 to 2003, focusing on OBC issues. His shift to the NCP strengthened his influence among OBCs, though it drew criticism from former allies.

The Telgi stamp paper scam in the early 2000s led to Mr. Bhujbal's resignation as Deputy Chief Minister in 2003.

At the time, he claimed that Mr. Sharad Pawar had pressured him to step down despite no formal charges. The controversy strained his relationship with Mr. Sharad Pawar, influencing his later defection to Ajit Pawar's faction.