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Maharashtra Minister 'Caught' Playing Rummy on Phone in Assembly; Supriya Sule Says Manikrao Kokate Must Resign – Video
MAHARASHTRA, JUL 20 – The video sparked protests and demands for resignation amid Maharashtra's agrarian crisis, where 767 farmers died by suicide in three months, highlighting government neglect, opposition leaders said.
- On July 20, 2025, Rohit Pawar, an MLA from the NCP-SP, posted a video on X showing Maharashtra's Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate using his mobile phone during a session of the state legislative assembly.
- The video purportedly shows Kokate playing rummy, but Kokate denied this and clarified he was opening YouTube to follow the assembly session, suspecting his phone had a game downloaded without his knowledge.
- The controversy sparked criticism from political figures like Shiv Sena's Kishori Pednekar, who said Kokate's conduct insults democracy and that ministers are stooping low in the legislature.
- Rohit Pawar criticized the ruling NCP faction for ineffective governance, highlighting that despite numerous farmer-related issues and the daily loss of eight farmers to suicide in Maharashtra, Minister Kokate seems to have time for leisure activities. Meanwhile, BJP leaders stated that there are no legal grounds to take action against Kokate.
- The incident heightened calls for Kokate's resignation amid ongoing farmer distress and revealed factional tensions within the NCP and between the NCP and BJP in Maharashtra politics.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Maharashtra Minister accused of playing 'rummy' on mobile during legislative session; he responds
In his defence, the Maharashtra Agricultural Minister and NCP leader said that he was actually checking YouTube to find out what was happening in the lower house of the state legislature.
Maharashtra minister 'caught' playing rummy on phone in assembly; Supriya Sule says Manikrao Kokate must resign – Video
A purported video of Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate playing a game, while in the state legislative assembly was shared by NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar. Kokate has responded to the criticism, claiming that ‘the opposition is trying to demean the government’
Caught on camera playing rummy in House, Maharashtra minister's 'YouTube' defence
The video, widely circulated on social media, was shared by Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Rohit Pawar, who launched a sharp attack on the minister and the government over the incident.
Rohit Pawar slams NCP as video shows Agriculture Minister playing game on phone in assembly
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar made the remark in a post on X and shared a purported video of NCP leader and state Agriculture Minister Kokate playing a game on his mobile phone in the state legislative assembly.
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