Manikrao Kokate denies playing rummy during Assembly, calls controversy politically motivated

Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate on Tuesday (July 22, 2025) firmly denied allegations that he was playing online rummy on his mobile phone during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the State Legislature, calling the controversy a politically motivated attempt to malign his image. He also rejected the Opposition’s demands for his resignation and said the issue had been unnecessarily sensationalised. 

Speaking to journalists at a press conference in Nashik, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader warned of legal action against opposition MLAs who circulated the video clip that triggered the political storm. “I will take legal steps against those who tried to defame me by sharing edited footage,” he said. 

The controversy stirred on Sunday (July 20, 2025) after NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar posted a video clip on social media claiming that Mr. Kokate was playing rummy during House proceedings. A day later, MLA Jitendra Awhad posted two more videos, alleging that Mr. Kokate was using the Junglee Rummy mobile application in the Assembly. 

Mr. Kokate, however, dismissed the allegations as baseless. “I don’t even know how to play online rummy. These games require OTPs and linked bank accounts to be able to play the game. My phone is not associated with any such app, one can come and check if my mobile phone is linked to any such gaming apps. This gaming advertisement had briefly popped up on my phone screen for 10 to 15 seconds and I was trying to close it,” he said in the press conference.  

On Opposition’s demands for his resignation, the Minister lashed out and said, “Tell me what is my crime? Did I make a decision against farmers? Did I indulge in corruption or commit any criminal acts? Have I molested someone? Have I stolen something? Do I have a criminal background? Tell me the valid reason for which I should resign and why. I will sue the Opposition leaders who tried to defame my image by circulating only a few seconds portions of that video. Why not show the complete video, a completely unedited one where I can be seen that I am trying to skip that advertisement. If they did that, it would have cleared all the allegations. It is a shame that a small matter is stretched this far unnecessarily.”

He also said he would write to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, requesting them for an impartial inquiry into the matter. “If the allegations are proven true, I will resign immediately. I will tender my resignation to the Governor without waiting to meet the CM or Deputy CM. But I am not resigning without a thorough probe into the matter,” Mr. Kokate said.