Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania has raised eyebrows by saying on Tuesday that she had revealed way back in February 2024 itself that disgruntled OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who is presently with Ajit Pawar-led NCP and met CM Devendra Fadnavis recently to express his disappointment about not being included in the cabinet, would join the BJP.

“I had said that Bhujbal would join the BJP not today, but in February itself. Now, they have staged a great drama, by not giving Bhujbal a ministerial berth accordingly. Then they pretended to be a little angry, especially since Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare also did not meet Bhujbal. Then Bhujbal held a rally and went to meet Fadnavis again. All this has been staged. It was delayed because I had tweeted it then (February 2024). However, they (Chhagan Bhujbal) are now joining BJP, because BJP will also get an OBC face on that occasion,” Anjali Damania said.

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The exact tweet by Anjali Damania posted on X in February 2024 reads: “Bhujbal on the path to BJP? Will BJP, which once filed a public interest litigation against Bhujbal’s corruption, make him a big OBC leader? Will it make such corrupt people big, for politics? Where will this sin be paid for? — Mrs Anjali Damania (@anjali_damania) February 1, 2024″.

Incidentally, there has been intense political speculation about what disgruntled OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s next move would be and whether he would join the BJP which is keen to have an OBC face. Bhujbal had refused to say whether he would join the BJP even after media persons asked him about it.

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve spoke about Chhagan Bhujbal’s recent moves and said, “Chhagan Bhujbal is angry with Ajit Pawar. After that Bhujbal meets Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar does not meet Chhagan Bhujbal. So what political meaning must one read from all this? Now, some time ago, it was being said that Devendra Fadnavis himself made Chhagan Bhujbal protest. Now it has come to light that this was indeed true.”

“Who knows, Chhagan Bhujbal may take some more steps. Such steps cannot be taken in a single day. For everything to become clear, we have to wait a little. Another 8 days, 10 days or may be a month. Not all things become clear immediately,” Ambadas Danve told media persons on Tuesday.

It may be recalled that on Monday, Bhujbal himself had stated that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured him that he would look into the matter of OBC representation in the cabinet in a few days and take a decision, immediately after Bhujbal met Fadnavis.

Bhujbal’s meeting with Fadnavis on Monday came after Bhujbal met representatives of OBC organisations from across Maharashtra on Sunday. Bhujbal who represents the Yevla constituency in Nashik district, had skipped the recent winter session of Maharashtra Legislature in Nagpur and left for Nashik on the very first day of the swearing-in ceremony, after he failed to make it to the cabinet, while 39 Mahayuti MLAs were sworn in as ministers.

“I have told Chief Minister Fadnavis everything. He has understood the entire issue. He understands that OBCs are upset. He also told me that he will definitely think about it. He (CM) said, currently, the atmosphere in the state is different due to holidays and he needs around 10 days. After that, we will meet again and find a good way out, he told me,” Chhagan Bhujbal had said.

When Bhujbal was asked about the possibility of joining the BJP on Monday, he had declined to say anything, reiterating that he had already voiced his concerns about being left out of the ministry expansion.

On Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who heads the NCP to which Bhujbal belongs, had reacted to Bhujbal’s meeting with CM Fadnavis and said, “This is an internal matter of our party. We will resolve the issue in our own way.”