Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate found himself in the eye of a political storm on Sunday after a video alleging he was playing online rummy during a State Legislative Council session surfaced on social media.
Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate (Image:DC)
Mumbai: Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate found himself in the eye of a political storm on Sunday after a video alleging he was playing online rummy during a State Legislative Council session surfaced on social media. Representing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Kokate denied the allegations, insisting the footage had been deceptively edited.
The video was posted by NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar, a grandnephew of party founder Sharad Pawar, on X (formerly Twitter). Pawar’s post mocked the minister with the hashtag #Jungali_Rummy_Pe_Aao_Na_Maharaj, and accused Kokate of ignoring pressing agricultural concerns while farmers continue to take their own lives at the rate of eight per day in the state.
Kokate explained that the clip was taken from a YouTube advertisement he had immediately skipped. “I opened YouTube to follow live proceedings of the Legislative Assembly after the Council session was adjourned,” he said. “An ad played first, which I skipped at the earliest opportunity. Someone has now circulated only an 18‑second snippet to create controversy.”
In response, Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Waddetiwar criticised the ruling BJP‑led Mahayuti government as “useless,” accusing the minister of prioritising rummy over farmers’ welfare. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also chided Kokate for failing to meet distressed farmers who had travelled from Latur to Mumbai. Raut further claimed that Union home minister Amit Shah had advised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to drop four or five ministers, including Kokate, from the Cabinet.
In response, Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Waddetiwar criticised the ruling BJP‑led Mahayuti government as “useless,” accusing the minister of prioritising rummy over farmers’ welfare. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also chided Kokate for failing to meet distressed farmers who had travelled from Latur to Mumbai. Raut further claimed that Union home minister Amit Shah had advised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to drop four or five ministers, including Kokate, from the Cabinet.
Kokate refuted these allegations as politically motivated: “Opposition members are defaming me based on an incomplete video. The full footage clearly shows I merely skipped an advertisement before following the Assembly proceedings.”
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
Next Story