Fresh trouble is mounting for Maharashtra Sports Minister Manikrao Kokate, with his political future now under serious doubt. Kokate, an NCP MLA from Sinnar in Nashik district and a leader from Ajit Pawar’s faction, is likely to be dropped from the state cabinet, sources said.
Kokate is currently a minister in the Mahayuti government, which includes the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP.
There is also speculation that he could face disqualification as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), they said.
The crisis deepened after reports emerged on Wednesday that an arrest warrant was issued against Kokate. Following these developments, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar held a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation and possible replacements for the minister, sources further said.
No official medical bulletin
Meanwhile, some reports stated that Kokate has been admitted to a Mumbai hospital after complaining of uneasiness. No official medical bulletin has been released so far.
Kokate was convicted on Tuesday
On Tuesday, the Nashik district sessions court upheld a lower court order sentencing Kokate to two years in jail in a housing quota irregularities case.
Earlier, a lower court had sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. Kokate had challenged the verdict in the sessions court, but his appeal was rejected, and the original sentence and fine were confirmed.
The video controversy
This is not the first controversy involving Kokate. During his tenure as Agriculture Minister, a video allegedly showed him playing rummy on his mobile phone during a state legislature session. Following public criticism, he was forced to step down from the agriculture portfolio and was later shifted to the sports ministry.
