Bhujbal out on bail but can he manage to bounce back politically?

It is likely that Bhujbal would prefer to keep a low profile for some time since he is out on bail and not acquitted of the allegations

After spending two years in jail, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal got bail from the court last Friday. Bhujbal, who was arrested in March 2016 under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, had repeatedly sought bail but had to stay in jail along with his nephew Sameer for two years. Finally, he got bail and is currently in Mumbai civic body-run KEM Hospital. There is curiosity over his next move.

Bhujbal has got bail and is currently in Mumbai civic body-run KEM Hospital. (HT FILE)

Over the last weekend, there were speculations that thousands of his supporters would gather in Mumbai for a show of strength. There was also talk of him addressing them through a Facebook Live. His close aides, however, have ruled out any such activities as he is in hospital. Leaders from his party have said that Bhujbal would speak on the `injustice meted out to him.’ His close aides are however pointing out that he is still recovering from ailments and would not be politically active immediately.

It is likely that Bhujbal would prefer to keep a low profile for some time since he is out on bail and not acquitted of the allegations. Many in state’s political circles think his political career is in jeopardy and it will be very difficult for him to bounce back especially when the allegations against him are serious in nature and age is not on his side.

This is not the first time that 70-year-old Bhujbal has suffered a serious setback in his political career. He was the first prominent rebel in the Shiv Sena. He quit the party in 1990-91 to join the Congress and was made a minister. However, in 1995 assembly elections, he was defeated by the then little known Shiv Sena worker, Bala Nandgaonkar. This was the first major setback Bhujbal suffered. Thanks to his mentor Sharad Pawar, he made a comeback after he was elected to the Legislative Council and made the opposition leader. He took that opportunity to launch an attack on the incumbent Shiv Sena-BJP government. By 1999, when the next assembly elections were held, he was the main target of the Shiv Sena. When Pawar floated NCP, he picked Bhujbal, a prominent Other Backward Class (OBC) leader, to be the state president of the new party that was full of Marathas. After the party formed a government with Congress in 1999, Bhujbal became deputy chief minister. However, soon in 2003, he had to quit after he was embroiled in a controversy over fake stamp paper, involving Abdul Karim Telgi. Bhujbal managed to make a second comeback as the Congress-NCP combination returned to power in 2004. He was back as a minister and was again elevated as deputy chief minister in 2008 when the incumbent in the post, R R Patil, had to resign, following the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai. He stayed in the same post as Congress-NCP returned to power again in 2009. However, within a year, he had to lose deputy chief ministership to Ajit Pawar. Bhujbal remained public works minister between 2010 and 2014. It was during this tenure that his decisions became problematic for him. The Maharashtra Sadan controversy and the allegations of money laundering put him in trouble.

Bhubjal had to face the music as the Enforcement Directorate initiated a probe against him after the BJP governments took over at the Centre and in the state. He was arrested in March 2016 and could not get bail despite various attempts. Now he is out on bail and his followers are hoping that he would bounce back. However doing it for the third time would not be easy for Bhujbal.

This time the allegations against him are serious and his image is tarnished. In the form of the ongoing case in the court, he will have the sword hanging over his head.

Denied a chance for the third time?

As Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis picked D K Jain for the post of chief secretary last week, bypassing two senior Indian Administrative Officers, Medha Gadgil lost the chance to become first woman chief secretary of Maharashtra. Gadgil was one of the two officers who were superseded by Jain. Chief secretary is the head of the state administration. Unfortunately, this has happened for the third time. Earlier, two women IAS officers, Chitkala Zutshi and Chandra Iyengar, too missed their chances to take over as head of state administration as their male colleagues were preferred by the then ruling parties. Significantly, since the state was formed in 1960, Maharashtra has never got a women chief minister or chief secretary.