Mumbai: From being a wrestler to becoming Pune’s Mayor to a minister in the Narendra Modi-government, Murlidhar Mohol has scaled the journey through hard work.
A youth leader with mass appeal, Mohol hails from the Maratha community.
Pune, his constituency, is considered Maharashtra's cultural capital.
A first-timer, Mohol’s induction in the ministry is BJP’s strategic move ahead of the Vidhan Sabha polls.
The 49-year-old Mohol defeated Congress’ Kasba Peth MLA Ravindra Dhangekar from Pune by a margin of 1.25 lakh votes.
Mohol, a prominent BJP leader with roots in RSS, is considered close to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Hailing from Mulshi tehsil in Pune district, Mohol’s father migrated to the city with family in search of job and education for three children.
Mohol completed his B A from Shivaji University in Kolhapur, where he also took wrestling lessons.
He is a four-term Corporator of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
There were many aspirants for the Pune seat, however, the BJP high command preferred Mohol.
In 2020, Mohol had served as President of All India Council of Mayors.
In recent times, he has actively fostered community ties by organising diverse cultural and sports events. These initiatives include arranging events like the ‘Maharashtra Kesari’ and orchestrating large-scale blood donation drives, among others.
Mohol has also played a key role in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic in Pune.
Published 09 June 2024, 19:09 IST