Nashik: NCP state general secretary Gorakh Bodke on Tuesday questioned the ideology and loyalty of agriculture minister Manik Kokate, a day after he criticised party veteran Chhagan Bhujbal at a function in Nashik, which created disquiet in the party’s Nashik unit.
Bhujbal has been upset with the party top brass after he was not inducted into the cabinet. Instead, Sinnar MLA Manik Kokate was made a minister.
Kokate, speaking to media after his felicitation on Monday, said, “Why should I convince Bhujbal if there is no fault of the party? NCP has always been just to Bhujbal, unlike other parties… For Bhujbal, the OBC community is only limited to himself, his son (Pankaj), and his nephew (Sameer).”
In a sharp reaction to Kokate’s remarks, after Kokate attacked Bhujbal on Monday, saying, Bodke said, “Kokate has been a member of Congress, Shiv Sena, BJP, and is now in the NCP camp. He has been changing his ideology from one election to another, and hence he has no right to speak on loyalty.” claimed Bodke. tnn