Sudhakarrao Naik

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| imagesize = 150px

| name = Sudhakarrao Naik

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1934|08|21}}

| birth_place = Gahuli, Central Provinces and Berar, British India

| residence =

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2001|05|10|1934|08|21}}

| death_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

| order = 11th

| office = Chief Minister of Maharashtra

| term_start = 25 June 1991

| term_end = 22 February 1993

| governor =

| predecessor = Sharad Pawar

| successor = Sharad Pawar

| order1 = 10th

| office1 = Governor of Himachal Pradesh

| term_start1 = 30 July 1994

| term_end1 = 17 September 1995

| predecessor1 = Viswanathan Ratnam

| successor1 = Mahabir Prasad

| constituency_MP2 = Washim

| parliament2 = Indian

| term_start2 = 1998

| term_end2 = 1999

| predecessor2 = Pundlikrao Gawali

| successor2 = Bhavana Pundlikrao Gawali

| constituency_AM3 = Pusad

| assembly3 = Maharashtra Legislative

| term_start3 = 1978

| term_end3 = 1995

|predecessor3 = Vasantrao Naik

|successor3 = Manohar Naik

| term_start4 = 1999

| term_end4 = 2001

|predecessor4 = Manohar Naik

|successor4 = Manohar Naik

| office5 = Cabinet Minister in Third Vasantdada Patil ministry

|minister5 = Education, Dairy Development, and Animal Husbandry.

|term_start5 = Feb 1983

|term_end5 = March 1985

|office6 = Cabinet Minister in Nilangekar ministry

|minister6 = Industries, Revenue & Social Welfare.

|term_start6 = March 1985

|term_end6 = March 1986

||office7 = Cabinet Minister in Second Pawar ministry

|minister7 = Social Welfare, Energy & Parliamentary Affairs.

|term_start7 = June 1988

|term_end7 = March 1990

|office8 = Cabinet Minister in Third Pawar ministry

|minister8 = Revenue & Parliamentary Affairs.

|term_start8 = March 1990

|term_end8 = June 1991

|office9 = Cabinet Minister
Government of Maharashtra

|minister9 = Minister of Housing, Animal husbandry & fisheries.

| term_start9 = 1978

| term_end9 = 1980

| party = Indian National Congress

| spouse =

| children =

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Sudhakarrao Rajusing Naik (21 August 1934 – 10 May 2001) was an Indian politician from Indian National Congress party who served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 25 June 1991 until 22 February 1993 following the communal riots. He had given the new shape to the Panchayat Raj, started the continuous election process in Panchayat Raj systems all over the state, as desired by the former Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi, decentralisation of power and faster decision making process being motive of bringing back the Panchayat Raj in full-fledged functioning. He is called as the hero of Jalkranti, who started the irrigation revolution in the State of Maharashtra.{{cite news |last1=The Times of India |date=24 November 2024 |title=Pusad’s ‘blue bloods’ have not lost seat since Maha formation |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/pusads-naik-family-the-unbeaten-political-legacy-in-maharashtra/articleshow/115609094.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214114309/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/pusads-naik-family-the-unbeaten-political-legacy-in-maharashtra/articleshow/115609094.cms |archive-date=14 December 2024 |access-date=14 December 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Hindustan Times |date=26 November 2024 |title=Maharashtra polls: Naik family has won Yavatmal's Pusad seat for 72 years |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/unvanquished-naik-family-has-won-pusad-seat-for-72-years-101732561397046.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214114430/https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/unvanquished-naik-family-has-won-pusad-seat-for-72-years-101732561397046.html |archive-date=14 December 2024 |access-date=14 December 2024 |language=en-us}}

Career

He started his political career from his rural base as Sarpanch or village head. He was Member of Legislative Assembly for Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha from Pusad 5 times winning elections of 1978, 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1999 elections.{{cite web | title = Elections results analysis 1978–2004 | publisher = Election Commission of India | url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/electionanalysis/AE/S13/partycomp166.htm | accessdate =28 January 2010 }} He was the Chief Minister during the Mumbai riots of 1992–1993.

However, politically, his differences with Sharad Pawar grew, and ultimately he had to resign. At one point, Sudhakarrao made a statement that Sharad Pawar had asked him to

"go easy on Pappu Kalani".{{cite news|title=The F-factor: Kalani certain of clean sweep |author=Gouri Shah |work=The Economic Times |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/880573.cms |date=11 October 2004 |access-date=24 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041025171356/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/880573.cms |archive-date=25 October 2004 }}

He is also remembered for his work in water conservation.

He served as governor of Himachal Pradesh from 30 July 1994 to 17 September 1995.{{Cite web|url=http://himachalrajbhavan.nic.in/past_governors.html|title=Governor House, Himachal Pradesh, India - Governors of Himachal Pradesh}} In 1998, he was elected as Member of parliament to the 12th Lok Sabha from Washim.{{cite web |url=http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/members/lokprev.aspx |title=Lok Sabha |access-date=2013-12-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116233330/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/members/lokprev.aspx |archive-date=16 January 2014}}