I have nothing to do with the rebellion, said Chhagan Bhujbal. (FILE)
Newly-inducted Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Sunday questioned the purpose of Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar's rally a day earlier in Nashik and said the rebellion in the party took place in the latter's family and not because of him.
Mr Pawar had held a rally in Nashik's Yeola, the Assembly constituency of Mr Bhujbal, on Saturday and had told the gathering he erred in trusting some people, an apparent swipe at the latter.
Mr Bhujbal, along with eight NCP colleagues, including Ajit Pawar, had joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2 after splitting from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
"Sharad Pawar saheb, why did you come to Yeola? I could not understand it. I am not responsible for the rebellion. It happened in your family," Mr Bhujbal said at a press conference in Nashik.
Hitting out further, Mr Bhujbal said he was an Other Backward Classes leader who holds rallies and gives speeches and, therefore, Sharad Pawar, popularly referred to as Maratha strongman, may have chosen his backyard Yeola for the gathering.
"Pawar saheb thinks I have created this rebellion but I have nothing to do with it. It has happened in his family. Praful Patel is his colleague in Delhi, Ajit Pawar is his family and Dilip Walse-Patil is his close aide," Bhujbal said.
Mr Bhujbal said he felt "sad" that Pawar came to Yeola but did not go to a rally that was organised by the NCP in Walse Patil's constituency.
Attacking Pawar further, he said, "Pawar saheb said in the rally he apologizes to the people as giving me the candidature was a mistake. However, due to me, development took place in Yeola. Therefore, there is no question of apologizing." In how many places will you apologise, Mr Bhujbal asked Pawar.
If the people in Nashik district love Sharad Pawar, how come both NCP candidates lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mr Bhujbal asked.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)