Key Points

Kokate has, however, denied the allegations.

Despite the chorus for his resignation, Kokate has been allocated the departments of sports, youth welfare, minority affairs and Auqaf. Dattatray Bharane, who was holding departments of sports, youth welfare, minority affairs and Auqaf, has been appointed as the new agriculture minister in a bid to avoid further embarrassment.

NCP(SP), Congress and Shiv Sena(UBT) have said they hope that Kokate will now act responsibly, while new agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane pays more attention to help the farmers who are in distress.

NCP(SP) legislator Rohit Pawar, who had uploaded Kokate’s video of playing rummy on social media, said that the ministerial position is a great responsibility, and if the person in that position does not act responsibly or fails to do justice to the post, the common people bear the brunt.

“Instead of accepting Manikrao Kokate’s resignation, the government decided to take away the Agriculture Department and assign him the Sports Department. The Sports Department is also important from the perspective of the youth, and while working in this department, he should avoid past mistakes, make proper use of his experience, and do justice to the sports sector. Similarly, it is expected that the new Agriculture Minister, Dattatray Bharane, will do justice to the farmers and remove the shadow of controversies that have plagued this department,” said Rohit Pawar.

He further stated that if mismanagement in any department causes harm to the common people, the entire government is responsible for it. “Therefore, the leadership should not harbour the misconception that merely reassigning a department absolves them of responsibility. We keep a close watch on all departments and will continue to do so. Maharashtra will not tolerate the insensitivity of any minister, and hence, it is expected that all ministers will act responsibly,” he warned.

On the other hand, NCP(SP) working president and MP Supriya Sule said, “While the agricultural sector in the state has completely collapsed, how sensitive can Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, who sits in the legislature playing rummy, be towards farmers' issues? Even more outrageous is how serious can the ruling party be, which merely changes the portfolio of the Agriculture Minister to grant him immunity? One cannot help but have doubts about this. It should truly cause regret to the honourable Chief Minister of the state that a person with no awareness of their position and responsibilities is part of the cabinet.”

“The honourable Minister, who tarnishes the state's reputation by calling the Maharashtra government a "beggar", should be shown the door by none other than the honourable Chief Minister himself. The decision to reward him for playing rummy in the legislature by appointing him as the Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare and Minority Development, and Waqf is truly incomprehensible. This has laid bare the government's priorities. On one hand, the younger generation in the state is being ruined by chasing online rummy, and while there is a demand to ban it, giving an important portfolio like Sports and Youth Welfare to Manikrao Kokate as a reward for playing rummy in the legislature is nothing short of a cruel joke. My humble request to the honourable Chief Minister is to please accept Manikrao Kokate's resignation and work to preserve the state's reputation,” said Sule in her post on X.

Congress took a swipe at the Mahayuti government and NCP for the allocation of the Department of Sports to Manikrao Kokate.

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson, Sachin Sawant, taunted, “If Junglee Rummy is recognised as the official state sport of Maharashtra, there should be no objection. After all, it’s the favourite game of the new Sports Minister. They spend a significant part of the day practising it. Anyway, the state government has no agenda for job creation. Through this, the minister can personally conduct training classes for the public to earn money. And if the money runs out... Well, earlier it was farmers committing suicide, now others will too! Isn’t that so? Now Maharashtra won’t stop at Junglee Rummy.”

Shiv Sena(UBT) leader Ambadas Danve slammed the government over the change in the portfolio of controversial Minister Kokate. In his post on X, Danve said, “Playing with worn-out coins on a scrap cart, New ministers will now deal cards by the dozen. Farmers have been ignored; now it’s the athletes’ neglect. No medals, only expecting rewards from ‘rummy’.Apologise again and blabber; this trick works well. Why fear anyone, the boss sits at Varsha bungalow (CM’s residence). Crooked talk and behaviour keep the ministers’ crown intact. No need for the field now, sit and play rummy, oh king.”

- IANS