Rohit Pawar, an MLA from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, posted a video on social media platform X which shows Kokate engaged in the mobile game during an assembly session
Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Rohit Pawar shared a video showing Minister Kokate playing a mobile game during the legislature session. PIC/X
Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was allegedly caught playing a mobile card game during a session of the state legislature.
Kokate, who is the MLA from Sinnar Assembly constituency in Nashik, has received criticism from the opposition for playing games in the assembly session at a time when farmers across Maharashtra are reeling from losses due to unseasonal or excessive rainfall and are demanding relief from the government.
Rohit Pawar, an MLA from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, 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 session.
“#जंगली_रमी_पे_आओ_ना_महाराज…!”
— Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) July 20, 2025
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, who is the grandnephew of Sharad Pawar, in his tweet mentioned, “NCP (Ajit Pawar camp) cannot do anything without asking BJP. In the state, every day, 8 (eight) farmers are committing suicide, and several issues 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 also 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 made a mistake. “This would be nearly the 8th controversy (mistake) of the minister,” Kadu, president of Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP), said. 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 Ajit Pawar-led NCP expressed displeasure with Kokate’s behaviour. Ruling NCP's spokesperson Suraj Chavan said, “Ajit Pawar will speak to the concerned minister.”
NCP (Ajit Pawar camp) stated that Kokate will be holding a press conference on Sunday and give his explanation on the allegations.
Koktae, speaking to the electronic media, mentioned that he was in the Legislative Council in connection with official work and the proceedings of the House were adjourned for a short while. “I went on YouTube to see what was happening in the Legislative Assembly. When one starts a video on YouTube, ads appear. Similarly, at that time, an ad appeared. I skipped the ad and continued. But those who made the video go viral showed only an 18-second clip.”
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