At a time when farmers across Maharashtra are reeling from losses due to unseasonal or excessive rainfall and are demanding relief from the government, agricultural minister Manikrao Kokate, known for making controversy, has once again stoked another one–this time allegedly for playing cards during a session of the state legislature.
Sharad Pawar led NCP, MLA Rohit Pawar has posted a video on social media (handle X formerly known as Twitter) which shows Kokate engaged in the mobile game on the floor of the house during the legislature session.
“#जंगली_रमी_पे_आओ_ना_महाराज…!”
सत्तेतल्या राष्ट्रवादी गटाला भाजपला विचारल्याशिवाय काहीच करता येत नाही म्हणूनच शेतीचे असंख्य प्रश्न प्रलंबित असताना, राज्यात रोज ८ शेतकरी आत्महत्या करत असताना सुद्धा काही कामच नसल्याने कृषिमंत्र्यांवर रमी खेळण्याची वेळ येत असावी.
रस्ता भरकटलेल्या… pic.twitter.com/52jz7eTAtq
— Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) July 20, 2025
Pawar Jr in his tweet has mentioned, “NCP (Ajit Pawar camp) cannot do anything without asking BJP. In the state, every day, 8 (Eight) farmers are committing several issues that are pending. But, since there is no work to do, it may be time to play rummy for the agriculture minister.”
The video has been received with sharp criticism not only from the opposition parties, but even from the ruling Mahayuti (BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-headed Shiv Sena).
Former leader of the opposition Vijay Wadettiwar said, “This shows how serious the government is about farmers` issues.”
Irked with the move, former MLA Bachchu Kadu claimed that this is not the first time that the agriculture minister has been indulging in mistakes. “This would be nearly the 8th controversy (mistake) of the minister,” Kadu, president of Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP). On June 8, Kadu had initiated a hunger strike in Amravati district demanding a farm loan waiver (as promised by Mahayuti during the assembly poll campaign). After six days of a hunger strike, the protest was called off, following an assurance from the government to form a committee to look into his demands and address farmers` issues.
Even the Ajit Pawar party and the BJP expressed displeasure with Kokate’s behaviour. Ajit Pawar’s NCP spokesperson Suraj Chavan said, “Ajit Pawar will speak to the concerned minister.”
