NAGPUR: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday expressed his disappointment at not being included in the new Mahayuti government and said he would decide his future course after talking to people from his constituency. Thirty-nine legislators from Mahayuti allies, the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, were sworn in on Sunday in the first cabinet expansion of the Devendra Fadnavis-led government. Ten former ministers were dropped from the cabinet, and 16 new faces have been introduced.

Former ministers Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil of NCP and Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit of BJP were some of the prominent leaders excluded from the new cabinet. Talking to reporters, Bhujbal said he was upset at not being included in the new cabinet. Asked about his future course, the legislator from the Yeola constituency in Nashik district said, “Let me see. Let me think it over. I will talk to my constituency and discuss with the Samata Parishad.’ After the cabinet expansion on Sunday, Fadnavis said Mahayuti allies have agreed to conduct a “performance audit” of ministers during their tenure.

Bhujbal declined to comment on the performance audit of ministers. Former minister Deepak Kesarkar, who was also dropped, said he wasn’t upset. “When we authorised our party leader to make a decision, we have to abide by it and share the happiness of the newly sworn-in ministers. There are political compulsions as the party leader has to give representation to all regions and communities,” the Shiv Sena leader said.

Congress leader Bhai Jagtap said the performance audit of ministers has no meaning. “If a minister doesn’t perform, why wait for two and half years? The duration cannot be a parameter for the performance audit. In the next two and half years, a people’s movement will come up against electronic voting machines,” he said.