By Mewati Sitaram
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal was sworn in as a Cabinet minister in the Mahayuti government on Tuesday, in a move widely seen as politically significant ahead of the upcoming civic body elections in Maharashtra.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Raj Bhavan, where Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, along with several ministers and senior leaders from the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, were present at the event.
Bhujbal, an MLA from Yeola in Nashik district, returns to the Cabinet after a brief period of exclusion following the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. Speaking after the oath-taking, he remarked, “All is well that ends well.”
A veteran of state politics, Bhujbal has previously served in several key ministerial roles and was the fifth Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1999 to 2003. He began his political journey with the original Shiv Sena during the 1960s, when the party was gaining momentum as a champion of Marathi identity.
Commenting on the development, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde highlighted Bhujbal’s extensive administrative experience. “Chhagan Bhujbal has served as a minister before. He has held many portfolios and started from the grassroots — as a corporator, then mayor, MLA, and minister. His experience will benefit the government,” Shinde told ANI, adding that Chief Minister Fadnavis will decide Bhujbal’s portfolio.
BJP state president and minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule also welcomed Bhujbal’s return to the Cabinet, calling him a prominent OBC leader. “His inclusion will strengthen the Mahayuti government. He will play an important role in fulfilling the vision of a ‘Viksit Maharashtra’,” Bawankule said.
The induction is being viewed as a strategic move to consolidate OBC support and fortify the ruling alliance’s position in the run-up to the crucial municipal elections scheduled later this year.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
