In a late-night reshuffle, Maharashtra minister and NCP MLA Manikrao Kokate was on Thursday (July 31, 2025) shifted from the Agriculture Ministry to the Sports and Youth Welfare Department.
Dattatrey Bharne, the current Sports Minister, will be the new Agriculture Minister, said a notification issued by the General Administration Department (GAD).
Mr. Kokate will also be in charge of Minority Development and Auqaf departments, it said.
Both Mr. Kokate and Mr. Bharne are MLAs of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Bharne is MLA from Indapur in Pune district.
Mr. Kokate, MLA from Sinnar in Nashik district, found himself in hot water after a video of him playing an online rummy game on mobile phone while sitting in the legislative council during the monsoon session was shared on social media by NCP (SP) leaders Rohit Pawar and Jitendra Awhad.
