Balasaheb Thorat

Balasaheb Bhausaheb Thorat (7 Feb 1953), is an Indian National Congress legislator. He is well known in the cooperative movement, as the founder of the Milk Cooperative, and former president of the Sangamner District and State Cooperative Bank.

He is recognized for his constructive work in Sangamner taluka and Akole taluka. He has founded cooperative educational institutions in Sangamner. Previously, he served as Minister of Agriculture and as Minister of Revenue, and Khar Lands in the Government of Maharashtra.

Early life

Balasaheb was born on 7 February 1953 to Late Bhausaheb Thorat. He was named as Vijay. His father Bhausaheb Thorat was a farmer’s leader in Maharashtra and a one-time legislator from Sangamner constituency. His father Bhausaheb Thorat defeated the then political heavy-weight of Maharashtra B. J. Khatal-Patil, who was a minister in the Maharashtra's government for sixteen-years in the 1978 Assembly elections as a candidate of INC.

Education

Thorat obtained his LLB degree from ILS Law College, Pune in 1977 and BA from Ferguson college, Pune University in 1975.

Political career

He began his political career as an Independent and fought the Sangamner Vidhan Sabha seat and won with a margin of 10,159 votes on Shakuntala Khanderao Horat. From then he never looked back and won 8 assembly elections never getting defeated in any elections as a candidate of INC.

He was the Minister of State for agriculture in the first Vilasrao Deshmukh's government. Later in 2004 he was elevated to the rank of cabinet minister alongwith Anil Deshmukh of NCP. He was one of those few leaders in Maharashtra who served as ministers in the 15-year Congress-NCP alliance. He served as the minister of Agriculture, Water Conservation, Employment Guarantee Scheme and Additional charge of School Education in Prithviraj Chavan's cabinet. He is a well-known and a leading face in the cooperative movement of Maharashtra. His nephew Satyajeet Tambe Patil is also a politician in Ahmadnagar district and a two-time member of Ahmadnagar Municipality.

Thorat was made as the MPCC chief in 2019 when Ashok Chavan resigned stating the weak performance of the party in the Lok Sabha elections. Thorat had to battle with the large scale defections from his party to the ruling alliance. Due to defections the congress's tally in the assembly fell down decisively. Under his leadership the party improved its tally from 31 legislators in the assembly to 44 legislators. After the 2019 political turmoil in Maharashtra with the formation of a post-poll alliance called Maha Vikas Aghadi by the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena, Balasaheb swore as a minister along with Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders of these three parties.

Balasaheb is a low-profile leader and is respected by everyone for his clean image in politics.

Political Statistics

Positions held

• 1985–present - Member of Legislative Assembly, Maharashtra.
• 1999-2004 - Minister of State for Agriculture, Govt of Maharashtra
• 2004-2014 - Cabinet Minister, Govt of Maharashtra
• 14 July 2019 – present - PCC Chief, Maharashtra
• 26 November 2019 - Incumbent - Congress Legislative Party leader, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
• 28 November 2019 – Present - Cabinet Minister for Revenue, Govt of Maharashtra
• 8 January 2020 - Guardian minister Kolhapur
• Permanent invitee - Congress Working Committee