E-Paper
NCP’s Bhujbal, Mushrif ‘reluctant’ to become Nandurbar guardian minister, say party insiders
The post of Nandurbar guardian minister has been vacant since December last year after the previous incumbent and former NCP cabinet minister Manikrao Kokate resigned following his conviction in a cheating and forgery case
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) cabinet ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif are reportedly unwilling to take charge as guardian minister of the tribal-dominated Nandurbar district in north Maharashtra. Party insiders suggest both leaders have expressed their unwillingness to accept the responsibility.
The post of Nandurbar guardian minister has been vacant since December last year after the previous incumbent and former NCP cabinet minister Manikrao Kokate resigned following his conviction in a cheating and forgery case.
Party leadership approached both Bhujbal and Mushrif, requesting one of them take up the responsibility, as the post currently falls under the NCP’s share.
“Neither is keen to take up that responsibility. The party leadership is trying to convince Mushrif to accept the guardian minister’s post,” said a senior NCP leader requesting anonymity.
Sunil Tatkare, NCP state president, confirmed that discussions among senior party leadership are currently underway. “Discussions are ongoing among the senior party leaders on the issue. The party will soon finalise the name of an NCP minister for that post,” he said.
Bhujbal confirmed that the party leadership had asked him to take charge as Nandurbar’s guardian minister.
“I have told them that I am keen to become the guardian minister of Nashik and not of any other district. I held that post in Nashik for over a decade in the past. If possible, my party leaders should convince the allied parties to appoint me as Nashik’s guardian minister,” Bhujbal said.
The post of Nashik guardian minister has also been vacant amid a tussle among the three partners of the ruling Mahayuti alliance over the position.
Mushrif did not respond to calls or messages from HT seeking his response.
Abhijit More, NCP’s Nandurbar district president, claimed that Mushrif, like Bhujbal, is reluctant to take up the role.
“A delegation of NCP leaders from Nandurbar will soon meet Mushrif and request him to accept the responsibility. He is extremely competent, and it will benefit the district if he becomes the guardian minister,” More said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) from Nandurbar and the party’s district coordinator Chandrakant Raghuvanshi has demanded that the guardian minister’s post be given to Shiv Sena instead of the NCP.
“Unlike Shiv Sena, the NCP does not have any Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) or MLC from Nandurbar. Our party has one MLA and one MLC from the district, so the post should come to us. I have discussed the issue with our party chief, Eknath Shinde, who assured me that he will raise the matter in the Mahayuti coordination committee meeting,” Raghuvanshi said.
