Bhujbal to be new Maharashtra Dy CM: Sharad Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday announced that senior party leader Chhagan Bhujbal will be the new Deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.
Chhagan Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader will also handle the home ministry portfolio.
Bhujbal is return as Deputy Chief Minister after nearly five years, sources said.
It was initially mooted that Bhujbal would be made deputy chief minister and finance minister Jayant Patil would be given the home portfolio.
However, a large section of party legislators have voiced their opposition to the move, saying such an arrangement would dilute the deputy chief minister's post, the sources said.
The legislators pointed out that every incumbent in that post over the last decade has also been entrusted with the home portfolio simultaneously.
Bhujbal, who currently holds the PWD portfolio, had resigned as deputy chief minister in December 2003 after his supporters attacked a TV channel office.
NCP is a key partner in the Congress-led Democratic Front Government in the state.
On December 1, R R Patil had quit in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks. "I have submitted my resignation letter to chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. I have gone by my conscience and decided to take this step," Patil said.