# Third Vasantrao Naik ministry

Following 1972 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election, incumbent chief minister Vasantrao Naik was re-appointed, and he formed his third government on 14 March 1972. This was to be Naik's last government which served until 20 February 1975.

## Government formation

In the 1972 legislative elections, Indian National Congress secured 222 of the state's 278 assembly seats, leading to the incumbent chief minister being re-appointed. On 16 March 1972, a 21-member ministry was sworn in, consisting of 12 cabinet ministers, 8 ministers of state, and 1 deputy minister. Various ministers were later included in the ministry, and its membership had increased to 30 by November 1974.

## List of ministers

The initial ministry consisted of the following 12 cabinet ministers.
* Vasantrao Naik (Chief Minister)
* Vasantrao Patil (Cabinet Minister)
* Shankarrao Chavan (Cabinet Minister)
* Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari (Cabinet Minister)
* Narendra Mahipati Tidke (Cabinet Minister)
* Rafique Zakaria (Cabinet Minister)
* Yashwantrao Mohite (Cabinet Minister)
* Hari Govindrao Vartak Cabinet Minister)
* A. R. Antulay (Cabinet Minister)
* Pratibha Patil (Cabinet Minister)
* Anant Namjoshi (Cabinet Minister)
* M. B. Popat (Cabinet Minister)

## Cabinet Ministers

| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party |
| Chief Minister General Administration Information and Public Relations | Vasantrao Naik | 13 March 1972 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Home Information Technology | Vasantrao Patil | 13 March 1972 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Revenue | Shankarrao Chavan | 13 March 1972 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Public Works | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 13 March 1972 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Prohibition | Rafique Zakaria | 13 March 1972 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Buildings Communications | Yashwantrao Mohite | 13 March 1972 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Finance Planning Parliamently Affairs | A. R. Antulay | 13 March 1972 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Law and Judiciary State Excise | Pratibha Patil | 13 March 1972 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Urban Development | Rafique Zakaria | 13 March 1972 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Urban Development | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Printing Presses | M. B. Popat | 13 March 1972 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Printing Presses | Shankarrao Chavan | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Environment and Climate Change | Pratibha Patil | 13 March 1972 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Environment and Climate Change | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Small Savings | Anant Namjoshi | 13 March 1972 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Small Savings | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Housing | Yashwantrao Mohite | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Housing | Vasantrao Naik CM | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Housing | Anant Namjoshi | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Social Welfare | Vasantrao Naik CM | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Social Welfare | Pratibha Patil | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Social Welfare | Rafique Zakaria | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Special Assistance | M. B. Popat | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Special Assistance | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Special Assistance | Vasantrao Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Agriculture Majority Welfare | Vasantrao Patil | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Agriculture Majority Welfare | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Agriculture Majority Welfare | Anant Namjoshi | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Co-operation | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Co-operation | Shankarrao Chavan | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Co-operation | Yashwantrao Mohite | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Sports and Youth Welfare | Rafique Zakaria | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Sports and Youth Welfare | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Sports and Youth Welfare | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Transport | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Transport | A. R. Antulay | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Transport | M. B. Popat | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Woman and Child Development | Anant Namjoshi | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Woman and Child Development | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Woman and Child Development | Pratibha Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Ports Development | Yashwantrao Mohite | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Ports Development | A. R. Antulay | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Ports Development | M. B. Popat | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Minority Development and Waqfs | A. R. Antulay | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Minority Development and Waqfs | Rafique Zakaria | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Minority Development and Waqfs | A. R. Antulay | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Medical Education | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Medical Education | Rafique Zakaria | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Medical Education | Shankarrao Chavan | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Protection | Vasantrao Patil | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Protection | Anant Namjoshi | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Protection | Vasantrao Naik CM | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Food and Drug Administration | Shankarrao Chavan | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Food and Drug Administration | A. R. Antulay | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Food and Drug Administration | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Relief & Rehabilitation | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Relief & Rehabilitation | Shankarrao Chavan | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Relief & Rehabilitation | A. R. Antulay | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Disaster Management | M. B. Popat | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Disaster Management | Anant Namjoshi | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Disaster Management | Yashwantrao Mohite | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Mining Department | Shankarrao Chavan | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Mining Department | Vasantrao Patil | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Mining Department | Vasantrao Naik CM | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Socially and Educationally Backward Classes - SEBC | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Socially and Educationally Backward Classes - SEBC | Yashwantrao Mohite | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Socially and Educationally Backward Classes - SEBC | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Special Backward Classes Welfare - SBCW | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Special Backward Classes Welfare - SBCW | A. R. Antulay | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Special Backward Classes Welfare - SBCW | M. B. Popat | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Nomadic Tribesl Department Vimukta Jati | Yashwantrao Mohite | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Nomadic Tribesl Department Vimukta Jati | Shankarrao Chavan | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Nomadic Tribesl Department Vimukta Jati | Vasantrao Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Soil and Water Conservation | Vasantrao Naik CM | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Soil and Water Conservation | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Soil and Water Conservation | Vasantrao Naik CM | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Marketing | A. R. Antulay | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Marketing | Vasantrao Patil | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Marketing | Rafique Zakaria | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Tourism | Vasantrao Naik CM | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Tourism | Yashwantrao Mohite | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Tourism | Vasantrao Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship | Anant Namjoshi | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship | Rafique Zakaria | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship | A. R. Antulay | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Animal Husbandry Department Dairy Development | Shankarrao Chavan | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Animal Husbandry Department Dairy Development | M. B. Popat | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Animal Husbandry Department Dairy Development | Yashwantrao Mohite | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Fisheries Department | A. R. Antulay | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Fisheries Department | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Fisheries Department | Vasantrao Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Culture Affairs | Vasantrao Patil | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Culture Affairs | Yashwantrao Mohite | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Culture Affairs | Shankarrao Chavan | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Forests Department | Shankarrao Chavan | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Forests Department | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Forests Department | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Higher and Technical Education | Pratibha Patil | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Higher and Technical Education | A. R. Antulay | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Higher and Technical Education | Vasantrao Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Textiles | Vasantrao Patil | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Textiles | Vasantrao Naik | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Textiles | A. R. Antulay | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Tribal Development | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Tribal Development | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Tribal Development | M. B. Popat | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Rural Development | A. R. Antulay | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Rural Development | Vasantrao Naik CM | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Rural Development | Pratibha Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Labour | Vasantrao Patil | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Labour | Shankarrao Chavan | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Labour | Rafique Zakaria | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Other Backward Classes - OBC | Yashwantrao Mohite | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Other Backward Classes - OBC | Pratibha Patil | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Other Backward Classes - OBC | Anant Namjoshi | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Protocol Earthquake Rehabilitation | A. R. Antulay | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Protocol Earthquake Rehabilitation | Vasantrao Patil | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Protocol Earthquake Rehabilitation | Shankarrao Chavan | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Power | M. B. Popat | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Power | Yashwantrao Mohite | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Power | Rafique Zakaria | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Irrigation | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Irrigation | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Irrigation | Yashwantrao Mohite | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Command Area Development | Vasantrao Naik CM | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Command Area Development | A. R. Antulay | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Command Area Development | Vasantrao Naik CM | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Horticulture | Vasantrao Naik CM | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Horticulture | Vasantrao Patil | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Horticulture | Pratibha Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Employee Guarantee | Yashwantrao Mohite | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Employee Guarantee | Vasantrao Naik CM | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Employee Guarantee | A. R. Antulay | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Water Supply | Shankarrao Chavan | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Water Supply | Vasantrao Naik CM | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Water Supply | Pratibha Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Sanitation | Anant Namjoshi | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Sanitation | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Sanitation | Vasantrao Naik CM | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister School Education | M. B. Popat | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister School Education | Pratibha Patil | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister School Education | Rafique Zakaria | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Marathi Language | Vasantrao Patil | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Marathi Language | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Marathi Language | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Industries | A. R. Antulay | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Industries | Yashwantrao Mohite | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Industries | Vasantrao Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Public Health | Rafique Zakaria | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Public Health | Anant Namjoshi | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Public Health | A. R. Antulay | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Ex. Servicemen Welfare | Yashwantrao Mohite | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Ex. Servicemen Welfare | Hari Govindrao Vartak | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Ex. Servicemen Welfare | Vasantrao Patil | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Khar Land Development | Vasantrao Naik CM | 13 March 1972 | 4 April 1973 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Khar Land Development | Narendra Mahipati Tidke | 4 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | INC |
| Cabinet Minister Khar Land Development | Vasantrao Naik CM | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | INC |

## Ministers of state

The initial ministry also consisted 8 ministers of state and 1 deputy minister.
* K. P. Patil
* S. B. Patil
* S. A. Solanke
* Sharad Pawar
* G. S. Sarnayak
* Prabha Rao
* R. J. Deotale
* D. T. Rupavate
* Ramubhai Patel, Deputy Minister