Hasan Mushrif, 70
Constituency: Kagal
Portfolio in previous govt: Medical education
A six-term MLA from Kolhapur’s sugarcane belt of Kagal, Mushrif is the party’s face in western Maharashtra. The lone Muslim face in the state cabinet, Mushrif is known as a silent worker, away from the limelight. He faced graft allegations from the BJP since 2019, related to transactions between Kolhapur District Central Co-operative Bank and sugar mills linked to his family members. After switching sides and joining hands with Ajit Pawar’s NCP, an ally of the BJP, the allegations receded. Mushrif’s tenure in the previous government was also marred with controversy, after a company linked to him was allegedly given labour contracts.
Dhananjay Munde, 49
Constituency: Parli
Portfolio in previous govt: Agriculture
A staunch Ajit Pawar loyalist, Munde is known to have a cordial relationship with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as well. Nephew of BJP leader late Gopinath Munde and cousin of BJP MLC Pankaja Munde, Dhananjay is an OBC (Vanjari caste) face of the party from Marathwada’s Beed district. Munde has been criticised for ineffective handling of the agriculture department in the previous government. However, his command over the electorate and close relationship with Pawar and Fadnavis worked in his favour. Last week, Munde landed in controversy after his close aide Walmik Karad was accused of being involved in the kidnapping and murder of a sarpanch in Beed.
Aditi Tatkare, 36
Constituency: Shrivardhan
Dept in previous govt: Women and Child development
Tatkare was given the cabinet rank in the previous government despite being a first-time MLA. Her tenure as the state’s Women and Child Development minister was highlighted by the launch of the widely-popular Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, which is said to be a key factor behind the success of the Mahayuti in the Assembly polls. She is a young face of the party from the Konkan region and also daughter of NCP’s state unit chief and Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare.
Babasaheb Patil, 66
Constituency: Ahmedpur
Patil, a third-term MLA, hails from Ahmedpur constituency in Marathwada’s Latur district. This will be his first time as a member of the cabinet. He is one of two NCP MLAs from Latur. In the previous term, the party had chosen newcomer Sanjay Bansode from the neighbouring Udgir (SC) seat as the cabinet minister. Now, the party has chosen a Maratha face from Marathwada that has been the epicentre of the Maratha agitation.
Dattatray Bharane, 56
Constituency: Indapur
Bharane, a third-term MLA from Pune’s Indapur assembly is a Dhangar face of the NCP and one of the closest aides of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Bharane was a Minister of State in the 2019 Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Bharane’s Indapur is a neighbouring constituency to Ajit Pawar’s Baramati.
Narhari Zirwal, 65
Constituency: Dindori
Zirwal, a four-term MLA was also a former deputy speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly. A senior leader and the party’s tribal face from North Maharashtra, Zirwal will be a minister for the first time. He is also one of the main tribal leaders in the state, who was vocally against granting ST status to the Dhangar community.
Makarand Patil, 58
Constituency: Wai
Patil, a four-term MLA, hails from Wai in the Satara district. This will be the first time that Patil will be entering the state cabinet. Patil was one of the MLAs from undivided NCP whose stand over the split in the party post-rebellion from Ajit Pawar was unclear till the very end. He, however, chose Ajit Pawar’s side. After Lok Sabha polls, his brother Nitin Patil was sent to Rajya Sabha by the NCP.
Manikrao Kokate, 67
Constituency: Sinnar
Kokate, a five term MLA from Sinnar in North Maharashtra’s Nashik district is a first time minister. Known for changing parties several times, Kokate will now be replacing senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal as the party face from Nashik.
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