First Shankarrao Chavan ministry

Shankarrao Chavan was appointed as Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the first time on 21 February 1975, replacing Vasantrao Naik.^[1] His first ministry lasted till 16 April 1977, and was succeeded by Vasantdada Patil's ministry.^[2][3]

First Shankarrao Chavan ministry
Ministry of Maharashtra
Date formed	21 February 1975
Date dissolved	16 April 1977
People and organisations
Governor	Ali Yavar Jung (1975-76)
Chief Minister	Shankarrao Chavan
Total no. of members	14 Cabinet ministers (Incl. Chief Minister)
Member parties	Congress
Status in legislature	Majority government
Opposition party	PWPI BJS
Opposition leader	Legislative Assembly: Dinkar Patil (PWPI) Legislative Council: Uttamrao Patil (BJS)
History
Predecessor	V. Naik III
Successor	V. Patil I

Government formation

After Congress securing a supermajority in 1972 legislative elections, the incumbent chief minister Vasantrao Naik had continued in his office. After 11 years as head of government, Naik resigned in 1975.^[4] Chavan, MLA from Bhokar was minister of irrigation and power in Naik's cabinet,^[5] and was selected to succeed Naik.

Chavan resigned in April 1977, after Congress lost several Lok Sabha seats in 1977 Indian general election, and was replaced by his irrigation minister, Vasantdada Patil.^[6] After briefly serving as Indian minister of home affairs, Chavan would be appointed chief minister for the second time in March 1986.^[7] His son, Ashok Chavan served in the same office between 2008 and 2010.

List of ministers

Chavan's ministry contained 14 cabinet ministers, alongside other junior ministers. Three of his ministers - Vasantdada Patil, A. R. Antulay, and Sharad Pawar - later served as Maharashtra chief ministers; while Pratibha Patil was elected President of India from 2007 to 2012.

The initial ministry consisted of the following:^[1]

Portfolio	Minister	Took office	Left office	Party
Chief Minister General Administration Home Planning, Energy, Information and Publicity Information Technology Marathi language, Earthquake Rehabilitation, Horticulture, Tourism (21 February 1975 – 5 May 1976) Command Area Development Departments or portfolios not allocated to any minister.	Shankarrao Chavan	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Irrigation, Prohibition Excise Water supply Sanitation, Disaster Management, Special Backward Classes Welfare, Majority Welfare Development, Tribal Development, Special Assistance	Vasantdada Patil	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Finance, Small Savings, Cultural Affairs, Sports and Youth Services	M. D. Choudhari	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Industries, Printing Presses Legislative Affairs, Other Backward Classes	N. M. Tidke	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Revenue, Relief & Rehabilitation, Urban Development, New Townships, Tourism (05 May 1976 – 16 April 1977 Protocol, and Minority Development and Aukaf (21 February 1975 – 23 February 1976) Textile	Rafiq Zakaria	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Cooperation (21 February 1975 – 23 February 1976) Public Works (Including Public Undertakings), MSRTC, Nomadic Tribes, Ports Development, Medical Education	Yashwantrao Mohite	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Buildings Communication, Housing, (21 February 1975 – 13 September 1976) Khar Lands Development , Law and Judiciary Public Works (Excluding Public Undertakings) Ex. Servicemen Welfare, Marketing, Mining Department,	A. R. Antulay	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Public Health Social Welfare Special Assistance Woman and Child Development (21 February 1975 – 23 February 1976) Socially And Educationally Backward Classes Higher and Technical Education, Housing (13 September 1976 – 16 April 1977)	Pratibha Patil	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Labour Animal Husbandry Dairy Development Fisheries	S. B. Patil	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Rural Development, Soil and Water Conservation Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship	Sundarrao Solanke	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Agriculture Environment and Climate Change Co-operation (23 February 1976 – 16 April 1977)	Sharad Pawar	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Forest Transport Jails Vimukta Jati	R. J. Deotale	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister Food and Civil Supplies Food and Drug Administration Other Backward Bahujan Welfare	Ratnappa Kumbhar	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC
Cabinet Minister School Education Employment Guarantee, Woman and Child Development (23 February 1976 – 16 April 1977) Minority Development and Waqfs (23 February 1976 – 16 April 1977)	Prabha Rau	21 February 1975	16 April 1977		INC

References

1. "Parliamentary and Constitutional Developments (February 1, 1975 to April 30, 1975) - Maharashtra" (PDF). The Journal of Parliamentary Information. XXI (3): 412, 418–419. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
2. "Parliamentary and Constitutional Developments (February 1, 1977 to April 30, 1977) - Maharashtra" (PDF). The Journal of Parliamentary Information. XXIII (3): 460, 464–465. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
3. "Chief Ministers (1937 to 2019)" (PDF). Maharashtra Legislature (in Marathi). Retrieved 15 May 2021.
4. Prabhash K Dutta (23 September 2019). "Maharashtra election: Devendra Fadnavis, first chief minister to complete full term in 47 years". India Today. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
5. "Members bioprofile on Lok Sabha website". loksabha.nic.in. National Informatics Centre, New Delhi. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
6. "For Congress, Maharashtra is a house divided against itself". India Today. 15 May 1977. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
7. "S B Chavan: The tough taskmaster". Rediff News. 26 February 2004. Retrieved 1 May 2021.