Chhagan Bhujbal
Chhagan Bhujbal (born 15 October 1947)[1] is an Indian politician from Maharashtra, who is the member of current Government of Maharashtra, headed by Eknath Shinde. Currently he is a member of 14th Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra from Yeola Assembly. He also served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 18 October 1999 – 23 December 2003.[2][3][4] He earlier also served as Minister of Public Works Department and Minister of Home Affairs in Government of Maharashtra.
Chhagan Bhujbal | |
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Cabinet Minister Government of Maharashtra | |
Assumed office 2 July 2023 | |
Minister | Food & Civil Supply Consumer Affairs |
Governor | Ramesh Bais |
Cabinet | Eknath Shinde ministry |
Chief Minister | Eknath Shinde |
Deputy CM | Devendra Fadnavis (first) Ajit Pawar (second) |
Preceded by | Ravindra Chavan (Food, Civil Supplies Ministry) Ravindra Chavan (Consumer Protection Ministry) |
Cabinet Minister Government of Maharashtra | |
In office 30 December 2019 – 29 June 2022 | |
Minister | Food & Civil Supply Consumer Affairs State Border Defence |
Governor | Bhagat Singh Koshyari |
Cabinet | Thackeray ministry |
Chief Minister | Uddhav Thackeray |
Deputy CM | Ajit Pawar |
Guardian Minister | Nashik District |
Preceded by | Jayant Patil (acting) (Food, Civil Supplies Ministry) Jayant Patil (acting) (Consumer Protection Ministry) CM Uddhav Thackeray (add'l charge) (State Border Defence Ministry) |
Succeeded by | Ravindra Chavan (Food, Civil Supplies Ministry) Ravindra Chavan (Consumer Protection Ministry) CM Eknath Shinde (add'l charge) (State Border Defence Ministry) |
Cabinet Minister Government of Maharashtra | |
In office 11 November 2010 – 26 September 2014 | |
Minister | Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings) Public Works (incl. Public Undertakings) Tourism |
Governor | Kateekal Sankaranarayanan C. Vidyasagar Rao |
Cabinet | Prithviraj Chavan ministry |
Chief Minister | Prithviraj Chavan |
Deputy CM | Ajit Pawar |
Guardian Minister | Nashik District |
Preceded by | Himself DCM (Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings)) Jaydattaji Kshirsagar (Public Works (incl. Public Undertakings)) Vijaykumar Krishnarao Gavit (Tourism Ministry) |
Succeeded by | Eknath Khadse (Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings)) Eknath Khadse (Public Works (incl. Public Undertakings)) Jayakumar Jitendrasinh Rawal (Tourism Ministry) |
5th Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra | |
In office 7 November 2009 – 10 November 2010 | |
Minister | Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings) Special Assistance |
Governor | S. C. Jamir K. Sankaranarayanan |
Cabinet | Second Ashok Chavan ministry |
Chief Minister | Ashok Chavan |
Maharashtra Legislature | Leader of the House (Maharashtra Legislative Council) (7 November 2009 – 10 November 2010) Deputy Leader of the House (Maharashtra Legislative Assembly) (7 November 2009 – 10 November 2010) |
Guardian Minister | Amaravati District Nashik District |
Preceded by | Himself (Deputy Chief Minister) Himself (Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings)) Nawab Malik (Special Assistance Ministry) |
Succeeded by | Ajit Pawar (Deputy Chief Minister) Himself (Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings)) Patangrao Kadam (Special Assistance Ministry) |
In office 18 January 2003 – 23 December 2003 | |
Minister | Ports Development Ministry Social Justice Ministry |
Governor | Mohammed Fazal |
Cabinet | Sushilkumar Shinde ministry |
Chief Minister | Sushilkumar Shinde |
Maharashtra Legislature | Deputy Leader of the House (Maharashtra Legislative Assembly) (18 January 2003 – 23 December 2003) |
Guardian Minister | Nashik District |
Preceded by | Himself (Deputy Chief Minister) |
Succeeded by | Vijaysingh Mohite-Patil (Deputy Chief Minister) |
In office 18 October 1999 – 16 January 2003 | |
Minister | Home Affairs Social Justice Ministry Special Assistance Ministry Majority Welfare Development Ministry |
Governor | P. C. Alexander Mohammed Fazal |
Cabinet | First Deshmukh ministry |
Chief Minister | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
Maharashtra Legislature | Deputy Leader of the House (Maharashtra Legislative Assembly) (18 October 1999 – 16 January 2003) |
Guardian Minister | Nashik District |
Preceded by | Gopinath Munde (Deputy Chief Minister) Gopinath Munde DCM (Home Affairs Ministry) Gopinath Munde DCM (Social Justice Ministry) Gopinath Munde DCM (Special Assistance Ministry) Eknath Khadse (Majority Welfare Development Ministry) |
Succeeded by | Himself (Deputy Chief Minister) R. R. Patil (Home Affairs Ministry) Himself DCM (Social Justice Ministry) Sushilkumar Shinde CM (Special Assistance Ministry) Satish Chaturvedi (Majority Welfare Development Ministry) |
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly | |
Assumed office 2004 | |
Governor | Mohammed Fazal S.M. Krishna S. C. Jamir K. Sankaranarayanan Om Prakash Kohli (add'l charge) C. Vidyasagar Rao Bhagat Singh Koshyari Ramesh Bais |
Speaker of the House | Babasaheb Kupekar Dilip Walse-Patil Haribhau Bagade Nana Patole Zirwal Narhari Sitaram (acting) Rahul Narwekar |
Constituency | Yevla |
Acting | |
In office 28 November 2019 – 30 December 2019 | |
Minister | Rural Development Water Resources Command Area Development Social Justice Ministry Special Assistance Ministry State Excise Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Food and Drug Administration |
Governor | Bhagat Singh Koshyari |
Cabinet | Thackeray ministry |
Chief Minister | Uddhav Thackeray |
Preceded by | Pankaja Munde (Rural Development Ministry) Girish Mahajan (Water Resources Ministry) Girish Mahajan (Command Area Development Ministry) Suresh Khade (Social Justice Ministry) Ram Shinde (Special Assistance Ministry) Chandrashekhar Bawankule (State Excise Ministry) Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar (Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) Jayakumar Jitendrasinh Rawal (Food and Drug Administration Ministry) |
Succeeded by | Hasan Mushrif (Rural Development Ministry) Jayant Patil (Water Resources Ministry) Jayant Patil (Command Area Development Ministry) Dhananjay Munde (Social Justice Ministry) Dhananjay Munde (Special Assistance Ministry) Dilip Walse-Patil (State Excise Ministry) Nawab Malik (Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) Rajendra Shingne (Food and Drug Administration Ministry) |
In office 8 December 2008 – 6 November 2009 | |
Minister | Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings) Tourism Other Backward Classes |
Governor | S. C. Jamir |
Cabinet | First Ashok Chavan ministry |
Chief Minister | Ashok Chavan |
Maharashtra Legislature | Deputy Leader of the House (Maharashtra Legislative Assembly) (8 December 2008 – 6 November 2009) |
Guardian Minister | Nashik District |
Preceded by | R. R. Patil (Deputy Chief Minister) Himself (Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings)) Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil (Tourism Ministry) Dilip Walse-Patil (Other Backward Classes Ministry) |
Succeeded by | Himself (Deputy Chief Minister) Himself (Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings)) Vijaykumar Krishnarao Gavit (Tourism Ministry) Shivajirao Moghe (Other Backward Classes Ministry) |
In office 1 November 2004 – 4 December 2008 | |
Minister | Public Works (excl. Public Undertakings) |
Governor | Mohammed Fazal S. M. Krishna S. C. Jamir |
Cabinet | Second Deshmukh ministry |
Chief Minister | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
Deputy CM | R. R. Patil |
Preceded by | Sushilkumar Shinde CM |
Succeeded by | Himself |
Leader of the Opposition Maharashtra Legislative Council | |
In office 10 July 1996 – 9 June 1999 | |
Governor | P.C. Alexander |
Chairmen of the House | Jayant Shridhar Tilak Bhaurao Tulshiram Deshmukh (acting) N. S. Pharande |
Preceded by | Sharad Pawar |
Succeeded by | Himself |
In office 10 June 1999 – 17 October 1999 | |
Governor | P.C. Alexander |
Chairmen of the House | N. S. Pharande |
Preceded by | Himself |
Succeeded by | Nitin Gadkari |
Maharashtra Legislative Council | |
In office 1996–2004 | |
Constituency | Elected by MLAs |
Cabinet Minister Government of Maharashtra | |
In office 6 March 1993 – 14 March 1995 | |
Minister | Housing Other Backward Classes Special Backward Classes Welfare |
Governor | P. C. Alexander |
Cabinet | Fourth Pawar ministry |
Chief Minister | Sharad Pawar |
Preceded by | Javed Iqbal Khan (Housing Ministry) Ramrao Adik (Other Backward Classes Ministry) Sushilkumar Shinde (Special Backward Classes Welfare Ministry) |
Succeeded by | Chandrakant Khaire (Housing Ministry) Gopinath Munde DCM (Other Backward Classes Ministry) Gopinath Munde DCM (Special Backward Classes Welfare Ministry) |
In office 26 December 1991 – 22 February 1993 | |
Minister | Revenue Khar Land Development Majority Welfare Development |
Governor | Chidambaram Subramaniam P. C. Alexander |
Cabinet | Sudhakarrao Naik ministry |
Chief Minister | Sudhakarrao Naik |
Preceded by | Shankarrao Kolhe (Revenue Ministry) Shankarrao Kolhe (Khar Land Development Ministry) Shankarrao Kolhe (Majority Welfare Development Ministry) |
Succeeded by | Vilasrao Deshmukh (Revenue Ministry) Prabhakar Dharkar (Khar Land Development Ministry) Shivajirao Deshmukh (Majority Welfare Development Ministry) |
Constituency | Mazgaon |
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly | |
In office 1986–1996 | |
Mayor of Mumbai | |
In office 1985–1986 | |
Preceded by | D. M. Sukthankar, IAS (administrator) |
Succeeded by | Datta Nalawade |
Personal details | |
Born | Nashik, Bombay State, India | 15 October 1947
Political party | Nationalist Congress Party (since 1999) |
Other political affiliations | Indian National Congress (1991–1999) Shiv Sena (1966–1991) |
Political career
Bhujbal is an OBC leader.[5] He started his political career from Shiv Sena in the 1960s. Before entering politics, Bhujbal was a vegetable vendor in Byculla Market where his mother had a small fruit shop. He was being influenced by Shiv Sena philosophy and more particularly, by Balasaheb Thackeray, Bhujbal evolved into a hardcore Shiv Sainik. He was amongst initial members of Shiv Sena.
Bhujbal started his political career with the Shiv Sena party. He left the party in 1991 and joined the Indian National Congress. Later, after the Indian National Congress leader Sharad Pawar decided to split from the Congress and form his own party, the Nationalist Congress Party, Bhujbal went along with him.[6]
During his work as Corporator, Bhujbal maintained consistent contact, communication with rank and file of his constituency and its neighbourhood. Later he was elected as Mayor of Mumbai twice.
He was among the earliest MLAs of Shiv Sena elected from Mazgaon first in 1985 & again in 1990.
Bhujbal contested 2014 General Elections from Nashik Constituency and lost the race to Hemant Godse from Shiv Sena.[7]
Bhujbal is currently Member of Legislative Assembly from Yeola Constituency and is incumbent since 2004.[8][9][10]
Enforcement Directorate proceedings
In December 2017, Enforcement Directorate attached assets worth 20.41 crore rupees belonging to the Bhujbal family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.[11]
Criticism
Allegations of deteriorating law & order situation in Nashik
Nashik known to be a peaceful district, where law & order situation has collapsed under Bhujbals' political clout. It is witnessing recession in all sectors. Daylight robberies, armed attacks, chain-snatchings and setting of two- and four-wheelers on fire have become routine.[12]
In view of the criticism of the home department, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan sent police commissioner Vinod Lokhande on leave for his dismal performance, while Samir Bhujbal demanded a CID probe into the collapse of law and order. But a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) official said that when each and every police official has been appointed on the family's recommendations, why should the home department be blamed? Chhagan Bhujbal must accept responsibility and initiate measures to restore the people's confidence.[12]
Alleged misuse and mismanagement of trust property
In 2012, Mumbai Educational Trust (MET) filed a criminal complaint against Chhagan Bhujbal, alleging misuse and mismanagement of trust property for family-run furniture business and destruction of evidence in connection.[13]
Attack on Alpha Marathi
On 23 Dec 2003, Chhagan Bhujbal resigned from the post of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, owning the moral responsibility of attack on Alpha Marathi office in Andheri, Mumbai. A group of workers belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) attacked the office of Alpha Marathi, which belongs to the Zee group. They were upset with the channel for airing a satire on Bhujbal's alleged role in the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam. NCP president Sharad Pawar told the media on Tuesday night that Bhujbal had sought his permission to resign on moral grounds. Chhagan Bhujbal handed over his resignation to then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Sushilkumar Shinde.[14][15]
References
- "Telgi scam: CBI grills Bhujbal". The Times of India. 4 January 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- "Chhagan Bhujbal : Chhagan Bhujbal The Prominent Deputy Chief Minister of Maharastra". Chhagan Bhujbal : Chhagan Bhujbal The Prominent Deputy Chief Minister of Maharastra. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- Official WebSite of Nashik District Archived 15 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- "The fall and fall of Chhagan Bhujbal: The seven people who brought the NCP strongman down". Firstpost.com. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- "Chhagan Bhujbal - The OBC Leader". Business Standard. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Maharashtra: NCP missed Bhujbal's leadership, says Ajit Pawar". freepressjournal.in. 5 May 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- "2014 Nashik Lok Sabha Constituency Results". January 2020.
- "Maharashtra Assembly Election 2009 -Results" (PDF). Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 November 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
- महाराष्ट्र विधानसभा सािवविक वनिडणूक 2014 (PDF) (in Hindi). Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra website. January 2020.
- "Schedule to Commission's Notification No. 308/MT-LA/2019" (PDF). Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra website. January 2020.
- "ED attaches Rs 20 crore assets in Chhagan Bhujbal PMLA case". January 2020.
- "Bhujbals or cop chief to blame for Nashik woes?". The Times of India. 31 January 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013.
- "Bhujbal accused of 'destroying evidence'". The Times of India. 4 February 2012. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
- "NCP activists attack Zee TV office; Bhujbal resigns". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 24 December 2003. Archived from the original on 22 April 2004.
- "Bhujbal quits after TV office attack". The Times of India. 24 December 2003. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012.