India, May 3 -- The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to offer a Rajya Sabha berth to senior party leader and state food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who had in the past expressed a desire to move to Delhi as a Parliamentarian. In case Bhujbal, a prominent Other Backward Class (OBC) leader, takes up the offer, his political heir or nominee will not get the ministerial berth in the state government in his place, the NCP top brass has clarified.

The food and civil supplies minister has not responded to the offer yet.

Bhujbal, 78, a seven-term legislator, held the position of the deputy chief minister in the Congress-NCP government in 2009-10. Considered a loyalist of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, he surprised everyo...