Jayant Patil: key NCP leader and former Minister with a legacy in Maharashtra politics

NCP leader Jayant Patil, is leading in the ongoing election with a narrow margin of 13,027 votes, he is the Maharashtra president of the NCP(SP). He is also the former finance minister, rural development minister, and home minister for the state.

Patil has been representing the Islampur constituency since 2009. Jayant Patil was the cabinet minister for water resources in the previous Uddhav Thackeray government.

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In 2019, Patil scored a landslide win in the Islampur constituency, polling over 57 per cent of vote share. In the 2024 election, he contested against NCP's Nishikant Patil.

Who is Jayant Patil?

Jayant Patil is a civil engineer. He first contested the 1990 Maharashtra assembly election on a Congress ticket from Walwa in Sangli. He has represented the Walwa-Islampur constituency seven times.

In 1999, Jayant Patil joined Sharad Pawar's NCP. He later became the finance minister of the state for the first time. At 39, he became the youngest finance minister of Maharashtra.

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He is married to social worker Shailaja Patil. They have two sons.

Patil is known for his extensive social work. Many schemes planned and executed under his leadership continue to benefit the people of Maharashtra today, especially women, farmers, and those who belong to the BPL (Below Poverty Line) category. He is the son of Congress leader and Maharashtra cabinet minister (late) Rajarambapu Patil.

Jayant Patil is known for presenting the Maharashtra budget 10 times consecutively, a record to date. He is well known for reviving the state economy from a low point in 2003-2004. In his 10-year tenure as the state's Finance Minister, Patil reformed the state's economy by introducing schemes and policies that strengthened Maharashtra. He abolished many posts in the state government and raised fresh loans to retire high-cost debts.

One of his most notable contributions to the state remains establishing Force 1 after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. As the Home Minister of Maharashtra, he was credited for reforming the condition of Maharashtra Police. Better equipment and more training were provided to the police personnel under his tenure. Force 1 was seen as a special unit to combat terrorism-related activities in the state and had access to modern equipment. He also passed proposals to install around 5,000 CCTV cameras across Mumbai.

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Patil introduced E-Panchayats, E-banking services in rural Maharashtra.

Jayant Patil is also known for his loyalty towards the NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, who during the concluding leg of the NCP (SP)'s Shivswarajya Yatra at Islampur in Sangli, hinted at a 'bigger role' for Patil in the government. After addressing the huge crowd gathered in Sangli, Patil's home turf, Pawar requested people to stand by Patil, saying that "he should take on the responsibility of rebuilding tomorrow's Maharashtra."