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Chhagan Bhujbal to give speech at NCP’s Pune meet
Praful Patel, senior NCP leader and Rajya Sabha member, claimed that Bhujbal was excited for the proposed party foundation day meeting in Pune and expressed his wish to speak on the occasion.
Chhagan Bhujbal, former deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader, will be one of the main speakers at the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) foundation day programme, which will be held on June 10 in Pune.
The 71-year-old NCP leader spent over two years in jail in connection with a money laundering case and was granted bail by the Bombay high court recently. Now, all eyes are on his next move, particularly on his speech, at the meeting.
There are indications that Bhujbal may spur party cadres, besides the rank and file of his other backward communities (OBC) organisation, Akhil Bharatiya Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad, in his speech.
Praful Patel, senior NCP leader and Rajya Sabha member, claimed that Bhujbal was excited for the proposed party foundation day meeting in Pune and expressed his wish to speak on the occasion.
After the death of BJP leader Gopinath Munde, Bhujbal was the strongest and most senior leader of the OBC community in the state. However, with him in prison for two years, many faces emerged to represent the community.
“A good orator and charismatic leader like Bhujbal is likely to expose the flaws of the BJP-led government in Maharashtra for its failure in all fronts, in his characteristic aggressive speech,” Patel said.
Bhujbal was arrested by the enforcement directorate (ED) in March 2016. One of the conditions that the court had imposed for bail was that Bhujbal will have to appear before the ED for questioning whenever summoned. ED alleged that the Bhujbals received kickbacks for awarding various government contracts, including the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, to the tune of several crores of rupees.
Patel said that his party would perform better under the leadership of newly elected state chief Jayant Patil. “He is a highly-respected politician across the state with good credentials and it would certainly reap the party dividends in the ensuing elections,” he said. Before the party’s crucial meet ahead of the upcoming general and assembly elections, the NCP chose to replace Sunil Tatkare and elected Jayant Patil as president of the state unit.
The concluding rally of the state-wide Halla Bol protest march will be in Pune on June 10, coinciding with the foundation day event of the party.
The national general body meeting will also be on the same day at Pune, Patel added.
