Rohit Pawar's Swipe At NCP As Agriculture Minister Caught Playing Rummy In Assembly

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Rohit Pawar on Sunday took a swipe at the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), saying it is unable to function without consulting its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the Maharashtra government.

Mr Rohit, who is the grand nephew of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, made the remarks as he shared a video of state agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate playing rummy in what appears to be during the session of the legislative assembly. 

In a post in Marathi on X, he said: "Since the Nationalist faction in power cannot do anything without consulting the BJP, even with countless agricultural issues pending and 8 farmers committing suicide daily in the state, the Agriculture Minister, with nothing else to do, seems to have time to play rummy."

He added: "Will these misguided ministers and the government ever hear the desperate plea of farmers demanding crop insurance, loan waivers, and price support: 'Come to the fields of poor farmers sometimes, Maharaj'?"

“#जंगली_रमी_पे_आओ_ना_महाराज…!”

सत्तेतल्या राष्ट्रवादी गटाला भाजपला विचारल्याशिवाय काहीच करता येत नाही म्हणूनच शेतीचे असंख्य प्रश्न प्रलंबित असताना, राज्यात रोज ८ शेतकरी आत्महत्या करत असताना सुद्धा काही कामच नसल्याने कृषिमंत्र्यांवर रमी खेळण्याची वेळ येत असावी.

रस्ता भरकटलेल्या… pic.twitter.com/52jz7eTAtq

— Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) July 20, 2025

There was no immediate reaction either from Mr Kokate, the NCP or the BJP.

Mr Rohit's remarks also came two days after state NCP chief and party MP Sunil Tatkare submission's that BJP needs to be consulted for the two factions of the NCP to reunite. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP joined hands with the ruling BJP in Maharashtra in July 2023.

"There is no discussion on unification even within our core group. Even when such a situation arises and time comes to come together, we will have to talk to the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party, because the top leadership of BJP took us with them. Consulting them is natural," Mr Tatkare told reporters.

Thousands of farmers have been impacted, especially in the Vidarbha region, due to widespread floods.

Earlier this week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the Mahayuti government is committed to give a loan waiver to farmers. "A loan waiver is a short-term measure. We have set up a committee to suggest long-term solutions to resolve agriculture stress and bring farmers out of debt," he said.