Manikrao Govindrao Thakare (born 22 August 1954) is an Indian politician from the state of Maharashtra. He is a senior leader of Indian National Congress and he is the most trustworthy OBC leader in Maharashtra.
| Manikrao Thakare | |
| Office: | AICC Incharge for Goa Pradesh Congress Committee & Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu |
| Term Start: | 24 December 2023 |
| Predecessor: | Manickam Tagore |
| Office1: | Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly |
| Term Start1: | (1985-1990),(1990-1995),(1995-1999),(1999 |
| Term End1: | 2004) |
| Predecessor1: | Mandhana Harish Rameshwar |
| Successor1: | Sanjay Dulichand Rathod |
| Constituency1: | Darwha |
| Office2: | Member of Maharashtra Legislative Council |
| Term Start2: | (2009-2012),(2012 |
| Term End2: | 2018) |
| Predecessor2: | Govindrao Adik |
| Successor2: | Ram Patil Ratolikar |
| Office3: | President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee |
| Term Start3: | 2008 |
| Term End3: | 2015 |
| Predecessor3: | Patangrao Kadam |
| Successor3: | Ashok Chavan |
| Office4: | Minister of State in Fourth Pawar ministry |
| Minister4: | Home ministry, Agriculture & Rural Development |
| Term Start4: | 6 March 1993 |
| Term End4: | 14 March 1995 |
| Office5: | Minister of State in First Deshmukh ministry |
| Minister5: | Home Affairs (Rural), Employment guarantee & Parliamentary affairs |
| Term Start5: | 18 Oct 1999 |
| Term End5: | 16 Jan 2003 |
| Office6: | Minister of State in Shinde ministry |
| Minister6: | Ministry of Energy, New and Renewable Energy Maharashtra |
| Term Start6: | 18 Jan 2003 |
| Term End6: | 6 July 2004 |
| Term Start7: | 5 Aug 2016 |
| Term End7: | 19 July 2018 |
| Successor7: | Neelam Gorhe |
| 7Blankname: | Chairman of the House |
| 7Namedata: | |
| Office8: | AICC Incharge for Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee |
| Term Start8: | 5 Jan 2023 |
| Term End8: | 24 December 2023 |
| Office9: | Guardian Minister of Palghar district |
| Term Start9: | (18 Oct 1999 |
| Term End9: | 16 Jan 2003) |
| Predecessor8: | Manickam Tagore |
| Successor8: | Deepa Dasmunsi |
| Birth Date: | 22 August 1954 |
| Birth Place: | Haru, Madhya Pradesh, India (now in Maharashtra, India) |
| Party: | Indian National Congress |
| Occupation: | Pension, Rental Income & Agriculture |
| Children: | Rahul Manikrao Thakare, Atul Thakare |
| Alma Mater: | 12th PassUnder BA 2nd (Available Certificate) & 10th From Dinbai Vidyalaya, Digras Tq. Digras Dist. Yavatmal (Year 1970-71) |
He was previously a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the Indian National Congress from 1985 until 2004 from Darwha (Vidhan Sabha constituency) Constituency.
He was later given the Energy Ministry portfolio during January 2003 - 2004 and in July 2004, he was one of 22 ministers to be dropped as minister by the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Sushilkumar Shinde.[1]
Manikrao has been a vocal critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party - Shiv Sena alliance government which ruled Maharashtra up to 1999, especially its handling of the Srikrishna Commission. On 27 July 1998, Manikrao along with R R Patil demanded that the Justice Shrikrishna Commission report be tabled on the floor of the assembly.[2] This forced an adjournment of the assembly. His relentless criticism of the then government in the legislature ensured that when the government lost its mandate.
Manikrao Thakare was appointed as AICC incharge of Telangana affairs on 4 January 2023.[3]