Maharashtra Politics: Minister Manikrao Kokate May Lose Agriculture Portfolio, Ajit Pawar To Take Call

NCP minister Manikrao Kokate, who recently again landed in the eye of storm for allegedly playing rummy on his phone during the monsoon session, may lose his department of agriculture. The latest controversy adds to his 'defamatory' statements towards farmers, which led to much uproar.

According to party sources, Kokate is likely to be stripped of the department, which may be given to Makrand Patil, who is currently heading the department of relief and rehabilitation. A proposal was on the cards to swap their departments, sources added. The decision, if taken, will send out a clear message that insensitivity towards the department will not be tolerated.

Even as the opposition parties are vociferously demanding to sack Kokate, the NCP's frontline leadership appears to be in a dilemma. His statements are certainly not acceptable, but he has neither been involved in any serious crime nor a case of corruption and hence it will be wrong to sack him, said a party leader close to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the party president.

MP Sunil Tatkare, the party’s state unit chief, disapproved of the statements by Kokate. Conceding that the remarks made by the latter against the government were in bad taste, the parliamentarian cautioned that one should be careful while making statements about the government. Recently, Kokate said that it's not the farmers, but the government who is the beggar, which takes Re1 for crop insurance. However, a final decision on Kokate will be taken by Ajit Pawar, who is the national president of the party, specified Tatkare.

Meanwhile, CM Devendra Fadnavis, who was in the holy town of Pandharpur on Wednesday, refused to comment on the demands made for Kokate’s resignation. “I am here to offer prayers,” he snubbed.