Chhagan Bhujbal denies rift between himself and Sharad Pawar

Scoffing speculations on a rift with Sharad Pawar after losing the post of deputy chief minister, Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal today asserted that the NCP president always supported the cause of the Other Backward Class (OBC), being championed by him.

Renewing his demand for reservations for OBCs, Bhujbal, addressing a rally which was being described as a show of strength of his following in Maharashtra, said "Pawar and I share the same views on development of OBCs and today's meeting should not be seen as my show of strength as commented upon by the media".

Seated on the dais on the occasion of the death anniversary of Mahatma Phule, social reformer of Maharashtra, were governor K Sankarnarayanan and Ajit Pawar, nephew of the NCP chief, who took over as deputy chief minister in the Prithviraj Chavan ministry, sidelining Bhujbal in the Congress-NCP coalition government.

Bhujbal, turning to Ajit Pawar who also holds the finance portfolio requested him to hike the budgetary provision for OBCs in the state which he said accounted for 54% of population.

The rally was organised by Akhil Bharatiya Samata Parishad, founded and headed by Bhujbal, the OBC leader, who parted ways with Shiv Sena to join Congress and later sided with Sharad Pawar after formation of NCP.