Babasaheb Anantrao Bhosale (15 January 1921 – 6 October 2007) was an Indian lawyer and politician who served asChief Minister of Maharashtra from January 1982 until February 1983.[2]
Bhosale was born on 15 January 1921 in the KaledhonSatara district of Maharashtra. An alumnus of the Shahaji Law College in Kolhapur,[3] he passed theBar-at-law examination atLincoln's Inn, London in 1951 following which he practised in Satara as an advocate for a decade.[4] Bhosale was imprisoned during 1941–42 for his participation in the freedom struggle.[4] After relocating to Mumbai with his 5 children, Bhosale would go on to work at the high court and hold several notable political offices in the years to come.
In 1978, Bhosale contested and lost the Assembly election for theNehrunagar (Vidhan Sabha constituency) inKurla,Mumbai as a candidate of the Congress Party.[5] In 1980, he was elected to theMaharashtra Vidhan Sabha from there and went on to become a minister and later chief minister during his first term as aMember of the Legislative Assembly.[6] In the A.R. Antulay Ministry, Bhosale headed the law and judiciary portfolios before succeeding A.R. Antulay as Chief Minister of Maharashtra.[6]
Bhosale was chosen as chief minister byPrime MinisterIndira Gandhi in a move that snubbed seniorMaratha leaders and surprised many including Bhosale himself.[4] Although he was Chief Minister for only 377 days, Bhosale's tenure is remembered for several bold decisions that he took. Among these were a scheme for free education for girls until matriculation, the creation of theGadchiroli district and the inauguration of theAurangabad bench of theBombay High Court.[7] Bhosale initiated several welfare measures for freedom fighters including a pension scheme for them and cracked down on a strike bypolicemen, dissolving the policemen's union that had the support of several senior Congress leaders.[4] At theVithoba Temple in Pandharpur, Bhosale's intervention led to the abolition of the system of 'Badwe' (priests) that had been a source of harassment to the devotees there.[4][7] Bhosale was also well regarded for his wit and sense of humour.
Bhosale's term as Chief Minister was however also marked by dissension within the Congress Party and allegations of corruption in the distribution of liquor distilling licences and allocation of flats in Bombay.[8] Bhosale's rule ended on 1 February 1983 followingVasantdada Patil's election to the chief ministership by legislators of the Congress Party.[9]
Bhosale's cabinet had several people who went on to hold important offices later includingPratibha Patil who went on to become thePresident of India[4] andVilasrao Deshmukh who became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.[10]
Bhosale was the son-in-law ofTulsidas Jadhav, a freedom fighter andRajya Sabha member who sided with Indira Gandhi when she split theIndian National Congress in 1969.[11] His brotherShivajirao Bhosale was a vice-chancellor of Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.[12] Bhosale's elder daughter, Mrs. Shanta Yadav retired as professor, his son Ashok is an entrepreneur, his daughter Saroj Bhosale is a business woman, his sonDilip was a judicial member of theLokpal.[13] His youngest son Dr. Rajan is one of India's foremost authorities and pioneers in the field of sexual medicine and sex education.
Bhosale died at theBombay Hospital in Mumbai on 6 October 2007 at the age of 86.[2]
| Preceded by | Chief Minister of Maharashtra 21 January 1982 – 1 February 1983 | Succeeded by |
