PUNE, June 5 -- Former Maharashtra minister and six-time Congress MLA Anantrao Thopte passed away at a private hospital in Pune on Thursday. He was 93. A veteran politician from Pune district, Thopte remained an influential figure in state politics for several decades. His son Sangram Thopte said, "My father had been undergoing treatment at a hospital for the past month. He passed away on Thursday due to age-related ailments." Thopte represented the Bhor Assembly constituency six times. For much of his political career, he was considered a rival of senior leader Sharad Pawar in Pune district politics. He served as the district guardian minister of Pune for nearly 13 years and held important portfolios, including education and animal husbandry, in various Congress-led governments. Thopte was also considered a contender for the chief minister's post. However, his political fortunes suffered a setback when he lost the Assembly election in 1999. Deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar said, "Maharashtra has lost a development-oriented and widely respected leader."...