RR Patil, the Powerful Politician Who Never Forgot His Roots

Senior NCP leader Raosaheb Ramrao Patil, affectionately known as 'Aaba', was a quintessential grass root politician who rose up the political ladder in Maharashtra due to his integrity and honesty.

Mr Patil, born on August 16, 1957 into a family with modest means at Anjani in Tasgaon tehsil of Sangli district in western Maharashtra, started off as a student leader while studying law and debuted in politics as Zilla Parishad member.

After spending 11 years as a Zilla Parishad member, Mr Patil was elected to the Maharashtra Assembly for the first time in 1990 from Tasgaon on a Congress ticket. He went on to win the seat five times.

Known as 'Mr Clean', his good organizational skills and ability to identify with rural issues and sensibilities helped his remarkable political journey which peaked when he became Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister.

However, his sometimes casual off-the-cuff statements before the electronic media, and the controversial decision to ban the dance bars, dogged his career as the home minister.

Initially a protege of the late Vasantdada Patil, RR Patil found a mentor in Sharad Pawar, who was ,then, a senior member of the Congress.

He stood out for his oratory while on the Opposition benches during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule (1995-99). He became the chief Whip of Congress in Maharashtra Assembly as well as Chairman of Public Accounts Committee in 1996-97 and 1998-99.

When Sharad Pawar left Congress and formed NCP in 1999, Mr Patil threw his lot with the Maratha strongman. He was subsequently rewarded and appointed NCP's Maharashtra unit chief.

Inducted for the first time in the Democratic Front government in 1999 as the Rural Development Minister, Mr Patil was assigned the home portfolio in 2003-end after Chhagan Bhujbal resigned in the wake of Telgi scam disclosures.

He had earlier made his mark as Rural Development Minister by initiating a cleanliness campaign, Sant Gadgebaba Abhiyaan, in rural areas.