Kokate played card game for 22 mins: Rohit Pawar

While NCP (SP) legislator cited “probe report” to back his claim, legislative council chairman denied investigation on the matter

MUMBAI: Agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate is likely to remain controversy’s child for a prolonged period. A day after he was let off the hook with a stern warning by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar claimed that Kokate was playing the card game on his mobile phone between 18 to 22 minutes in the legislative council, refuting the minister’s earlier claim that it was an advertisement which popped up on his mobile screen which took him around 42 seconds to remove.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar (PTI)

While Rohit backed his claim stating the facts were mentioned in the “investigation conducted by the state legislature” in the backdrop of the controversy, Jitendra Bhole, secretary of the state legislature refused comment on the matter, and Ram Shinde, chairman of legislative council, denied there was any investigation conducted.

“We have not initiated any investigation into the matter. Following the controversy, the agriculture minister sought the video recordings of the proceedings of the House, which were handed over to him immediately,” said Shinde. He added that the video of Kokate in the legislative council was shot without permission and if they receive any complaint a probe will be initiated.

On Thursday, Rohit Pawar posted on X: “The inquiry report has been submitted to both the chief minister and the deputy chief minister. Will the government clarify it?”

Questioning both chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Ajit Pawar for their silence, he remarked: “If the government is not going to take action against the agriculture minister, then does the chief minister have the moral right to claim the legacy of late Atalji (former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee), and does deputy chief minister Ajit dada (Pawar) still have the right to claim the legacy of the late Yashwantrao Chavan saheb (first chief minister of Maharashtra)?”

Rohit Pawar was the first to post Kokate’s incriminating video on his social media handle on July 21, which went viral in no time. He followed it up with two more videos when Kokate put forth the “42-second” argument.

While Kokate refused to respond to text messages sent by HT, he told media persons in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, “I have decided not to say anything political today as I have to come participate in a religious programme.”

Insiders in the state legislature revealed that Kokate asked for the video recording of the proceedings on July 28, “which was given to him on the same day”.

HT has learnt from people aware of the matter that Kokate, a five term MLA from Sinnar assembly constituency in Nashik, may file a police complaint over the incident. He has been in controversy since the last few months and has brought embarrassment to the ruling Mahayuti with his “irresponsible” comments. After the incident with the video in the legislature, he had called the state government a “beggar” while clarifying his own old statement comparing farmers with beggars.

On Tuesday, Ajit Pawar gave him a dressing down after calling him to his chamber in the Mantralaya, following which Kokate was compelled to apologise. “Your actions have maligned the image of the government and embarrassed the party. I have given you several chances in the past but this time things have gone far. The chief minister himself has expressed his displeasure to me,” Pawar is believed to have told Kokate during their half-hour long meeting.

Kokate promised to be cautious while making statements in future. “I accept my mistake and I can assure you that it will not be repeated. I will also be cautious henceforth and will speak responsibly,” Kokate is believed to have told Pawar.