Mumbai: In a shocking incident that has sparked widespread outrage, Maharashtra’s Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate was caught playing an online card game inside the Assembly while the session was in progress. The incident, which has been described as a serious breach of decorum and ministerial responsibility, has led to immediate political backlash.
Terming the incident as “utterly inappropriate for the dignity of the ministerial position,” the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) has demanded the immediate resignation of the Agriculture Minister. The party accused him of being “insensitive and irresponsible” and claimed he has repeatedly evaded the responsibilities entrusted to him by the people.
To press this demand, a memorandum was submitted to the Honourable Chief Minister through the Honourable District Collector, under the leadership of Mr. Atul Gangadharrao Ganyarpawar, District President of Gadchiroli for the NCP (SP). A protest was also held outside the District Collector’s office. Several party officials, workers, and farmers were present on the occasion to support the demand.
In the letter shared by @NCPspeaks on X (formerly Twitter), the party highlighted a series of previous controversial statements and actions by the minister. They noted that Manikrao Kokate had earlier gained notoriety across the state for using abusive language towards farmers and displaying arrogance while issuing orders to officials for conducting panchnamas. His remarks on loan waivers, which many found offensive and dismissive, were also cited as part of a pattern of disregard for farmer welfare and public accountability.
The party stated, “The use of abusive language by the Agriculture Minister against the farmers is not only a stain on the culture of Maharashtra, but now, with this online gambling incident, the reputation of the entire state has suffered a blow on the national stage.”
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Furthermore, the letter claimed that Kokate’s actions have provoked increasing anger among the public, and his tenure as Agriculture Minister has become “more and more controversial.” The NCP (SP) argued that his image is now deeply tarnished, and his behaviour reflects a lack of seriousness and commitment toward his ministerial duties.
Citing these repeated acts of irresponsibility and misconduct, the Gadchiroli unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) has strongly urged the Maharashtra government to seek Kokate’s immediate resignation. As the video of the minister playing rummy inside the Assembly continues to circulate in the media, public pressure is mounting, and the opposition has signalled that this issue will not be allowed to fade quietly.
