India, Aug. 1 -- In a late-night cabinet reshuffle, Maharashtra Minister and NCP MLA Manikrao Kokate has been removed from the agriculture ministry after a video of him playing an online rummy game during an assembly session went viral. The footage, reportedly captured during the recent monsoon session, showed Kokate engrossed in the game while seated in the legislative council. The clip was widely circulated by NCP (Sharad Pawar) leaders Rohit Pawar and Jitendra Awhad, sparking criticism and embarrassment for the government.

Following the controversy, Kokate has now been assigned the sports and youth welfare portfolio, in addition to the minority development and Auqaf departments, according to a notification issued by the General Admini...