Buldhana, Dec. 3 -- Former state minister and senior political leader Bharat Rajabhau Bondre, widely known across Buldhana district as the "water-man", passed away on Tuesday due to age-related ailments.
He was 83.
Bondre, a prominent figure in the political landscape of Chikhli constituency for several decades, served multiple terms as a legislator. He first entered the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1972 on an Indian National Congress ticket, and subsequently won elections in 1980, 1985 (Congress-I) and 1990, establishing his long-standing influence in the region.
A close associate of Sharad Pawar throughout his career, Bondre held several important portfolios in the state cabinet, including Education, Industry and Irrigation (Wat...