Sangli: Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Jat Constituency in Sangli District, Gopichand Padalkar, has constantly been making headlines for the past few months due to his aggressive, fierce speeches and controversial remarks against multiple religions, political parties, and senior leaders.
Padalkar made headlines after his recent remark about former Maharashtra Home Minister and Islampur Constituency MLA Jayant Patil from the Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP). Padalkar was also involved in his infamous fight with Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad. The topic became a national issue after workers from both sides got involved in a physical fight in the Mantralaya in Mumbai.
Padalkar, who has a cult-based following in the northern and eastern parts of Sangli District, has a career of over a decade in politics. He is seen as a firebrand politician and the next big thing in BJP. Known for his direct and no-filter remarks, Padalkar is currently a trending topic in state and national politics.
Who is Gopichand Padalkar?
Gopichand Padalkar was born on 1 October 1982 in Atpati Taluka of Sangli District. Based in Atpadi, Padalkar started social work in his youth, criticising the established politicians of Sangli and Satara Districts. Before he got elected in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Elections, Padalkar fought against many notable leaders and went head-to-head. Prominent among these contests are his Baramati Legislative Assembly contest against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the Sangli Lok Sabha seat against former BJP MP Sanjay Patil, both in 2019.
Padalkar joined BJP in 2019, and before that, he was a part of Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (till 2014) and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (in 2019) and had other stints as a political leader for local political parties and independents. Padalkar was also a BJP MLC from 2020 to 2024 before he became an MLA from Jat. Despite being from Khanapur Assembly Constituency, Padalkar contested from the drought-prone area of Jat in 2024 and defeated the incumbent MLA Vikram Singh Sawant from Congress by a huge margin.
Surprisingly, MLA Padalkar also has a background in filmmaking alongside his political career. He is not only a politician but also a film actor and producer. Notably, he produced and starred in the Marathi film "Dhumas" in 2019. This film contributed to his popular image in rural Maharashtra. His involvement in films forms part of his creative and public persona, complementing his political identity as a fiery leader representing the Dhangar community in the state. In a noteworthy moment, Padalkar also lip-syncs a song sung by Bollywood legend Sonu Nigam in Marathi in the film "Dhumas". The song is titled "Man Bharun Alaya".
"Hota Gopi Mhanun Vachli Topi"
For years, Padalkar was known as the dummy candidate, who used to make sure that he ate into the votes of opponents so the incumbents would secure a seat. This was seen in the 2009 and 2014 elections, in which Padalkar contested the Khanapur Assembly Constituency both times as an independent. He was defeated but managed to gain votes from the main opponent, ensuring that the then-incumbent Shiv Sena MLA Anil Babar won the elections.
The same was seen in the 2019 Sangli Lok Sabha elections, where Padalkar's votes ensured that the then-incumbent BJP MP Sanjay Patil retained the seat. Locals within Sangli recognised this pattern and came up with a saying: "Hota Gopi Mhanun Vachli Topi," which translates to "Due to Gopichand Padalkar, the seat was saved."
Recent Remarks About Jayant Patil
A junior engineer named Avdhoot Wadar was found dead in Sangli near the Krishna riverside earlier this month. His family alleged that he was pressured by BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar, claiming particularly that his personal assistant threatened him and that his death was not suicide or accidental but murder. Local politicians picked this up and started speaking against MLA Padalkar.
MLA Padalkar, at an event, targeted NCP-SP MLA Jayant Patil and said he is a reckless person and his only work is to defame him. Making matters worse, Padalkar further said, "I have the courage to organise a 'programme'. I do not think he is Rajaram Patil's son at all. There is something wrong for sure."
These statements were widely criticised. BJP Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he does not support them but defended Padalkar, saying he is a man from a village area, his political statements are aggressive, and he would talk with him. Cabinet Minister Chandrakant Patil also said that from now on, Padalkar's speeches would be different. Padalkar, however, refused to apologise and said he would speak on it in the future.
Padalkar and Controversies: A Summary
- After the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, Padalkar made communal remarks blaming Kashmiri Muslims and spreading theories like land jihad and love jihad. It sparked outrage and criticism from opposition parties and members of the Muslim community.
- In April 2025, he again made headlines by demanding that names of Muslim-sounding villages be changed. This was viewed as communal and provocative.
- In July 2025, Padalkar faced criticism for his remarks regarding alleged forced conversions by the Christian community in Sangli. Statewide protests demanded his suspension as MLA.
- In July 2025, during the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Assembly, a heated exchange occurred between MLA Padalkar and NCP Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad. It escalated into a physical altercation among their supporters inside the Assembly premises, leading to a huge uproar and regret expressed by political leaders.
- Time and again, he has targeted veteran leaders Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, and others, criticising them using inappropriate language. These remarks have also caused wide outrage.
