Fadnavis Strips Manikrao Kokate of Sports Ministry After Court Conviction

Manikrao Kokate, a prominent leader from the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party who gained notoriety earlier in 2025 for being filmed playing rummy on his mobile phone during an active Assembly session, was abruptly stripped of his Sports Ministry portfolio on the morning of December 18, 2025, in a move that has reignited political turbulence within the state's ruling Mahayuti coalition.

Despite the demotion, Kokate continues to hold a ministerial position without allocated responsibilities and retains his legislative seat representing Sinnar constituency, provisions that opposition parties are poised to exploit as evidence of selective accountability, especially when contrasted with the rapid disqualification of Congress MLA Sunil Kedar from the Assembly in December 2023 following his conviction in a separate corruption matter.

This latest episode significantly heightens political scrutiny on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance, amid a series of unresolved controversies involving ministers from partner parties, including persistent allegations against Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) leaders Sanjay Shirasat over a viral video suggesting financial impropriety, Yogesh Kadam regarding purported ties to illegal sand mining and prohibited dance bars, and Dadaji Bhuse concerning recruitment irregularities in the Education Department—all of whom remain in their posts.

Also Read: Maharashtra Minister Manikrao Kokate Unreachable After Scam Conviction – Arrest Imminent

The immediate trigger for Kokate's portfolio removal stems from a Nashik court's recent affirmation of his 1995 conviction in a housing scam involving misuse of quotas reserved for economically weaker sections alongside his brother Vijay, resulting in a upheld two-year imprisonment sentence that prompted Kokate to tender his resignation on Wednesday and seek urgent relief from the Bombay High Court, with a hearing scheduled for Friday.

Currently admitted to a Mumbai hospital as a precautionary measure against potential interim arrest, Kokate's confirmed conviction—distinct from the unproven allegations facing other alliance ministers—presents a unique challenge for the Mahayuti government, compelling swift and decisive action to deflect opposition accusations of protecting convicted figures while maintaining coalition harmony amid internal demands from allies and Fadnavis's prior warnings against controversial conduct by cabinet members.

Also Read: Nashik Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against Maharashtra Minister Manikrao Kokate