Not disappointed after removal from Ministry: Bhaskar Jadhav

NCP leader Bhaskar Jadhav, who was dropped from the Maharashtra Ministry in the Cabinet reshuffle, today said he was not disappointed.
"I think it is my strong point that everybody including the media is looking for reasons why I was dropped when there were no corruption charges against me," Jadhav, an MLA from Chiplun, who was Minister of State for Urban Development and eight other departments, told reporters.
"I did not ask the reason to my party leadership why I was chosen over others in the council of ministers in 2009. So now, I have no right to ask why I am being dropped. I am not disappointed," he said.

In his place, Uday Samant, a close aide of Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare, was sworn in as minister today. Tatkare is a rival of Jadhav in Raigad district politics.
Jadhav refused to answer questions on whether internal party politics had played a role in his ouster.
To a question on speculation that he is likely to join the Congress, Jadhav said, "I have a lot of well wishers."

On whether he has been assigned party work, Jadhav said he has not been asked to.
Asked whether he was told earlier that he is being replaced, he said, "When it was clear that the name of another legislator from my district is in the list of new ministers this morning, I got the hint."

Jadhav was mired in controversy for the lavish wedding of his son and daughter, which prompted party chief Sharad Pawar to say that he was ashamed of such display of wealth when the state was reeling under drought. Jadhav had then tendered a public apology.
The NCP legislator, who was formerly with Shiv Sena, said he did not quit the saffron party for being denied a ticket for the 2004 Assembly polls. "I quit in protest against the manner, in which I was treated at 'Matoshree' (the Thackerays' residence) after being called there.