| Sanjay Bhau Rathod | |
| Spouse: | Shital Rathod |
| Children: | Damini Rathod, Soham Rathod |
| Education: | Arts and Commerce College Yavatmal (B.Com, 1993) Subhedar Ramji Ambedkar Physical Education College, Hinganghat (B.P.Ed., 1995)[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1971 6, df=y |
| Birth Place: | At.Pahur Izara, Tq.Kalamb, Yavatmal District |
| Office1: | Cabinet Minister in Eknath Shinde ministry Government of Maharashtra |
| Minister1: | |
| Term Start1: | 14 July 2023 |
| Term End1: | 26 November 2024 |
| Predecessor1: | |
| Office2: | Cabinet minister in Eknath Shinde ministry Government of Maharashtra |
| Minister2: | |
| Term Start2: | 14 August 2022 |
| Term End2: | 14 July 2023 |
| Predecessor2: | |
| Successor2: |
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| Office3: | Cabinet Minister Government of Maharashtra |
| Minister3: |
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| 3Blankname3: | Guardian Minister |
| Term Start3: | 30 December 2019 |
| Term End3: | 28 February 2021 |
| 1Blankname3: | Chief Minister |
| Successor3: | |
| Predecessor3: | |
| Office4: | Minister of State Government of Maharashtra |
| Minister4: | |
| Term Start4: | 5 December 2014 |
| Term End4: | 30 October 2019 |
| Predecessor4: | |
| Successor4: | |
| 1Blankname4: | Chief Minister |
| 2Blankname4: | Guardian Minister |
| Office: | Member of Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra[2] |
| Term Start: | (2004-2009),(2009-2014),(2014-2019),(2019-2024),(2024-Present) |
| Predecessor: |
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| Constituency: | Digras-Darwha |
| Party: | Shiv Sena |
| Residence: | Yavatmal |
| Occupation: | Farming & Politician |
Sanjay Dulichand Rathod is a Shiv Sena politician from Maharashtra. He is a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Digras-Darwha Assembly Constituency in Yavatmal district. He is a Shiv Sena leader in Vidarbha and served as a cabinet minister in the UBT government but later joined the Eknath Shinde camp in 2022.[3]
Rathod won from Digras Assembly Constituency representing Shiv Sena in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election. He polled143,115 votes and defeated his nearest rival, Thakare Manikrao Govindrao of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 28,775 votes.[4]
He became an MLA for the first time on Shiv Sena ticket winning the 2004 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election from Darwha Assembly constituency, which ceased to exist from 2008. Later, he was elected from Digras constituency consecutively for four terms in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024.
In the 2019 Assembly election, he polled 136,824 votes and defeated his nearest rival, Sanjay Deshmukh, an independent candidate, by a huge margin of 63,607 votes. In 2014, he defeated Vasant Ghuikhedkar of the NCP, by a margin of 79,864 votes. He served as a minister of state in the Ministry of Revenue (Maharashtra). In 2019 he was minister of Forest Department of Maharashtra, Disaster Management & Relief & Rehabilitation.[5] [6] He also served as guardian minister of Yavatmal district twice in 2014 and 2020, and in Washim district in 2015.[7] [8]
He resigned from the cabinet in 2021.[9] In 2022, he was appointed as a cabinet minister in the Ministry of Food and Drug Administration (Maharashtra) and in 2023, he served as cabinet minister in the Ministry of Soil and Water Conservation.