Ajit faction names Sameer Bhujbal as city unit chief

Rebel faction of NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, appoints Sameer Bhujbal as Mumbai unit chief amid speculation of leader Nawab Malik switching loyalty.

The rebel faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, on Wednesday appointed Sameer Bhujbal as the party’s Mumbai unit chief.

Ajit faction names Sameer Bhujbal as city unit chief

“We have decided to hand over the responsibility of Mumbai city to Sameer Bhujbal. The name was chosen because he knows the city well,” Sunil Tatkare, state president of the faction, announced at a meeting at Garware Club.

The decision came amid speculations that senior NCP leader Nawab Malik, who was heading the NCP’s city unit, was likely to switch loyalty to Ajit. However, he chose to remain neutral. Malik was arrested in a money laundering case in February last year. He is currently on medical bail which is ending on October 12.

Sameer, 49, is a nephew of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal who is also the food and civil supplies minister. A former MP from Nashik, Sameer was arrested in February 2016 by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case related to Maharashtra Sadan. He was also under the scanner in Telgi scam in 2004 and was questioned by the special investigation team then.

“I have got the opportunity to work for the organisation for the first time since its formation,” he said. “To strengthen our position, we have to reach out to the middle class and slum dwellers whose requirements are very basic such as water, sanitation, and cleanliness.”

The party’s tally dropped to nine in the 2017 BMC elections from 13 in 2012. The victory of Malik from Anushakti Nagar was the only MLA seat the party could grab in the city in the 2019 assembly elections.

Ajit admitted that they could not give the required time to the city unit and hence were responsible for the party’s position in Mumbai.

“Sameer not only knows the city but also knows how to handle the workers. You (Sameer) will have to work hard as it is an important responsibility,” the deputy CM said.

On July 2, Ajit declared to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government along with a group of 40 MLAs. The same day, he declared moving to the Election Commission of India to stake claim on the party name and symbol. Taking cognisance of the petition filed by the Ajit-led faction, the poll panel decided to start hearings over the split on October 6.

CAPTION: Sameer Bhujbal at a meeting of NCP’s rebel faction on Wednesday.