Maharashtra Minister Kokate Shunted Out Of Agriculture Ministry Following ‘Rummy In House’ Row

Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister and NCP MLA Manikrao Kokate were shifted from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Sports and Youth Welfare Department in the reorganization of the cabinet late at night.

The current Sports Minister Dattatrey said that a notification published by the General Management Department (GAD) on Thursday night will be the new Minister of Agriculture.

Kokate said he would be responsible for minority development and AUQAF departments.

Both Kokate and Bharne are the MLAs of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar. Bharne is MLA from Indapur in the Pune area.

Kokate, a legislator from Sinnar in the Nashik Region, found himself in hot water after a video on which he played an online Greek game on his mobile phone while sitting in the legislative council during the monsoon session.

He also condemned farmers to discussions allegedly equalized with beggars a few months ago.

Earlier this year, Dhanangay Munde, another NCP leader, was forced to resign from the ministry led by Devendra Fadnavis after being called the prime minister accused in Santosh Deshmukh murder of his close assistant Walmik Karad.