Call from Baramati led to Opposition boycott of reservation meeting: Bhujbal

Mumbai: A phone call from Baramati led to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi boycotting the all-party meeting convened by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss the reservation issue, veteran OBC leader and minister Chhagan Bhujbal said.

However, Bhujbal, kept it open as to who had called the opposition leaders during last week’s meeting.

Bhujbal’s comments came at the NCP rally at Baramati when Ajay Pawar launched the campaign for Vidhan Sabha polls.

Bhujbal is the state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister and also the National President of All India Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad.

At the rally, Bhujbal, said that he was not against reservation to the Marathas. “We want Marathas to get reservations. However, it should not affect the reservation of the OBCs,” said Bhujbal.

After the boycott, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress said the MVA will not attend the all-party meeting on the reservation issue as the government did not take the opposition into confidence over the matter.

However, on Sunday, Bhujbal said that the meeting was convened to resolve the issue. “We wanted to resolve the issue…how to sort out the issue…how justice can be given…I spoke to Wadettiwar, I spoke to Jitendra Awhad of NCP (SP)…I also wanted Sharad Pawar Saheb to come,” he said.

“As a senior leader Pawar Saheb should have come…however, around 5 pm, someone called from Baramati and the MVA leaders backed out,” he said.