Mumbai, May 20
In a simple ceremony, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday administered the oath of office and secrecy to veteran NCP leader and Samata Parishad founder Chhagan Bhujbal as a minister in CM Devendra Fadnavis's cabinet.
The swearing-in took place in the presence of Chief Minister Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, ministers, government officers and party leaders, including NCP working president Praful Patel and state chief Sunil Tatkare.
After the ceremony, Bhujbal said, “I thank Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, both the Deputy Chief Ministers, as well as Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel. I also thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Along with this, I also thank all the people, activists and office-bearers of my constituency of Yeola-Lasalgaon, all the office-bearers and activists of Samata Parishad. I also thank all those who have shown love and affection to me till now.”
Bhujbal is expected to get the food and civil supply department, which he held in the previous governments headed by Uddhav Thackeray and then Eknath Shinde (2019-24).
Bhujbal was sulking after he did not get the ministerial berth when CM Fadnavis expanded his cabinet on December 15. He had openly expressed his displeasure to the party leadership, citing that he had been dropped despite vigorously taking up the OBC cause of the party during the Assembly elections held last year.