How do you see the Supreme Courtroom’s current order asking for native physique elections to be held as per the legislation for OBC reservation, previous to the 2022 Banthia Fee report?

We’re very blissful that we received justice from the Supreme Courtroom. When the Mandal Fee suggestions had been accepted, individuals went to the Supreme Courtroom. Then, a nine-judge bench had given a verdict. That’s the closing verdict. Afterall, the Supreme Courtroom is supreme. (referring to the Indra Sawhney verdict)

The Supreme Courtroom will look into the Banthia Fee report solely later now.

The Banthia Fee report was submitted in a rush. Inside one month, is it potential that sitting at house, sitting in air-conditioned locations, can you may have the caste census throughout Maharashtra? For instance, I’ll let you know. Gaikwad is a surname. When the Fee was going by way of the electoral rolls, the officers marked ‘Gaikwad’ as Maratha. However Gaikwad is an SC too, an OBC too, even a Mali group member. I don’t agree with the Banthia Fee report, however as a result of, at the moment, there was the Supreme Courtroom which was sitting on our State Authorities’s head, we needed to submit that report.

I had raised the issues in regards to the Fee report with Uddhav Thackeray then, as he was the Chief Minister. He had stated that the elections to 92 native our bodies needed to be carried out with zero OBC reservation. If we took this up, then it can create issues for different native physique elections too.

Will you’re taking again the report in that case?

It doesn’t matter. Until then, my election will likely be performed [referring to the local body elections[ and we will fight it out thoroughly. The nine-judge judgment of the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case is already there. Now, when the case continues, it will take years together. And, by that time, as the Prime Minister has declared, there will be a caste census. With the caste census, it will be crystal clear.

How will the caste census affect the OBC politics in Maharashtra?

OBCs have played a prominent role in politics not just in Maharashtra, but also in U.P., in Bihar, in Tamil Nadu, in Karnataka, in Telangana. After 1931, there has been no caste census. This has been a long-pending demand. We have been cheated once by the Congress in 2010, when Pranab Mukherjee had assented to caste census after all the OBC leaders had come together in the House.

In Maharashtra, the Marathas too want a slice of the OBC quota.

I, Chhagan Bhujbal, will fight this tooth-and-nail. Our house is already full. OBC is not a caste. It is a class. There are many small groups in it. There is no space in our house. So we are telling the Marathas, don’t come here. You have another house, please go there. If they still continue to ask for reservation under the OBC category, we are ready. We will fight it. Even they won’t get anything in that case.

60% MLAs are Marathas, 60% Ministers are Marathas. The Chief Ministers have been Marathas. The banks are with them, the milk co-operatives, the sugar co-operatives are with them. The district bodies are with them. And they still want reservation from the OBC quota. So far, the demand for Maratha reservation has come up thrice. And all the three times, I supported them. But I will fight it if they want reservation from the OBC quota.

Also, Manoj Jarange Patil has been responsible for creating a rift between the OBCs and the Marathas. He has disturbed the social fabric.

It is being said that Chhagan Bhujbal has been brought in the cabinet due to the intervention of CM Devendra Fadnavis, for OBC votebank in the upcoming local body elections.

I have been in politics for several decades now. And every time I was given an opportunity from being a Mayor to becoming the Deputy Chief Minister, it was not because I was an OBC. How can you say that now? Yes, my induction will help the Mahayuti in the coming elections.

Devendra Fadnavis had insisted in December as well, that I should be in Cabinet. But Ajit dada listened only now. At that time, he did not listen. The fact is also that I am the Minister of Ajit Pawar. It is up to him to decide who he should include in the cabinet.

Do we say that there is an uneasy truce between Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal now?

I am one of the founder members of NCP, along with Sharad Pawar. All of a sudden, I was thrown out. I was upset. I stuck with the party even when the Congress had offered me the Chief Minister’s position at one point. Otherwise I would have been there in Vilasrao Deshmukh’s place. And yet, the kind of treatment which was given to me this time was not appropriate. I was shocked.

Do you foresee yourself going to the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha?

Of course, I want to go. I have been in State politics for 40 years now. I had requested my party to send me to the Parliament. Now, once everything settles here, I will definitely ask them to let me go.

Do you see the Pawar uncle-nephew duo coming together again?

I have worked with Balasaheb Thackeray for 25 years. I have worked with Sharad Pawar for decades. I have seen the affection Balasaheb had for Raj Thackeray. I have seen Ajit grow under the tutelage of Sharad Pawar. It is hurtful when families split. I will be very happy if the Thackerays [Uddhav and Raj] reunite and the Pawars come collectively. Who desires to see a rift within the household? However it’s our wishful considering. I don’t suppose it can occur.

Revealed – June 07, 2025 08:02 am IST