Manikrao Kokate (Indian Politician) Biography

Quick Info

Profession	Politician
Nationality	Indian
Date of Birth	26/09/1957
Age	69 years
Birthplace	Sinnar, Nashik, Maharashtra, India

Latest News about Manikrao Kokate

22/12/2025

A court relief followed an earlier Nashik conviction in the long-running fraud case against Manikrao Kokate, with the sentence later stayed and no immediate disqualification from the assembly. The developments kept him in office while legal proceedings continued over the decades-old housing fraud matter.

18/12/2025

A Nashik court issued an arrest warrant after Manikrao Kokate’s conviction in a cheating and fraud case was upheld, and Maharashtra’s chief minister removed his portfolios soon after. He remained a cabinet minister without charge as the case intensified pressure on his political future.

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Bio/Wiki

Full Name	Adv. Kokate Manikrao Shivaji
Famous for	Winning Sinnar assembly constituency 5 times

Physical Stats & More

Height	5' 8" (175 cm)
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Salt and Pepper

Educational Qualification(s)

Qualifications	Bachelor degree in Science LLB LLB (1984)
College/University	University of Pune

Personal Life

Religion	Hinduism

Relationships & More

Marital Status	Married

Family

Father	Kokate Shivaji Murlidhar
Siblings	Brother - Sunil Kokate
Spouse	Meena Kokate
Children	Son - Pankaj Kokate Daughter - Simantini Seema Manikrao Kokate (Politician)

Career

Political Journey	Joined Shiv Sena in 1999 after not receiving a ticket from NCP Re-joined Indian National Congress in 2009 Joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014 Re-joined Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2019 Started political career with Indian National Congress (INC) in 1990 Followed Narayan Rane to rejoin Indian National Congress in 2005 Aligned with Ajit Pawar faction of NCP after the 2023 split
Elections and Positions	Won first assembly election from Sinnar in 1999 Won the 2009 assembly election from Sinnar on Congress ticket Defeated in 2014 assembly elections as BJP candidate Won the Sinnar assembly seat for the fourth time in 2019 Appointed Agriculture Minister in Devendra Fadnavis’ government in December 2024 Won the Sinnar assembly seat for the fifth time in 2024 by a margin of over 1.38 lakh votes against Uday Sangale of NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) Re-elected from Sinnar in 2004 on Shiv Sena ticket Contested unsuccessfully as Independent candidate in 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Nashik constituency Appointed Agriculture Minister in December 2024 in the Mahayuti government Stripped of Agriculture portfolio and appointed Sports and Youth Welfare Minister in 2026
Controversies	Convicted in a cheating and forgery case in 2025 but retained his MLA position through an appeal Involved in a viral incident playing online Rummy during an assembly session Faced criticism for calling the Maharashtra government a beggar amid a crop insurance scheme controversy Charged with cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (IPC Section 420) and forgery of valuable security Nashik court issued arrest warrant against him in 2026

Style Quotient

Car Collection	Mahindra Thar Innova High Cross and Hybrid
Net Worth	Rs 48.4 Crore (as of 2025)
Known Style	Fondness for jackets and blazers

Social Media

Instagram	https://www.instagram.com/office.manikraokokate/
Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/Adv.Manikraokokate/
Twitter	https://x.com/kokate_manikrao

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Grew up in Somthana village, Sinnar, in Nashik, Maharashtra.
2. Belongs to an agricultural family with his father active in local politics.
3. Started political career as a student activist with the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).
4. Served as Chairman of the Sinnar Panchayat Samiti and President of the Nashik Zilla Parishad.
5. Joined Indian National Congress in 1990 and remained until 1999.
6. After joining Shiv Sena, he won and held his assembly seat until 2004.
7. Resumed NCP in 2019, winning the assembly seat by a narrow margin.
8. Demonstrates a strong passion for agriculture, community development, and local culture.
9. Known for his fondness for jackets and blazers.
10. Contested unsuccessfully as an Independent candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Nashik constituency.
11. Has represented five different political parties throughout his three-decade career: Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP (Ajit Pawar).
12. Actively involved in reviewing research work at the ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes to enhance the grape industry in the region.

Manikrao Kokate Politician Indian Sinnar, Nashik, Maharashtra, India