Rupali Chakankar is an Indian politician and the chairperson of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission(MSCW).
On Friday, 20th of March, 2026, Chakankar resigned her position as the head of the State’s women commission after coming under intense fire and criticism, due to her connection with godman Ashok Kharat, who is facing rape-related charges.
In this article, Justbio will bring more details about Rupali Chakankar biography, career, controversy and lot more.
Early Life and Background
Rupali Chakankar was born on the 28th of May, 1982 in Pune, Maharashtra to Babanrao Borate and Parvati Borate.
Rupali pursued her early education at a local high school in Pune before going on to complete an MBA at Pune University.
She built her position brick by brick, through years of grassroots community work and patient party loyalty.
Political Career and Rise to Fame
Rupali Chakankar’s entry into formal politics came through the Nationalist Congress Party, where she earned her stripes not through spectacle but through consistency. Her consistent effort eventually earned her the position of President of the NCP Women’s Wing.
She currently serves as a key leader in the NCP faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and holds the position of State President of the NCP’s Women’s Wing, known as Rashtrawadi Mahila Congress.
Her most prominent appointment came in October 2021, when she was named Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission and was re-appointed to in October 2024.
Under her leadership, the commission tackled domestic violence awareness, women’s education, economic empowerment through microfinancing, and access to healthcare for marginalised women.
For her contributions, she received several awards including the Gaurav Stree Shakti Award, the Pune Manpa Gaurav Award, and the Savitribai Phule Award honours that recognised a career apparently dedicated to Maharashtra’s most vulnerable women.
Husband, Family, and Personal Life
Rupali is married to Nilesh Chakankar, and the couple have a son named Soham Chakankar. She has spoken openly about her family’s deep roots in the Warkari spiritual tradition, a devotional movement within Hinduism that emphasises simplicity, pilgrimage, and devotion to the deity Vitthal.
She would later claim that this tradition drew her family into the orbit of a man who would destroy her political career.
Ashok Kharat Controversy
On March 18, 2026, Nashik Police arrested Ashok Kharat, a self-styled godman, astrologer, and former Merchant Navy officer on charges of sexually assaulting a 35-year-old woman over a period of three years.
Police recovered substantial digital evidence, including 58 videos, before making the arrest. Kharat allegedly manipulated his victim by claiming her husband’s life was in danger, then administered sedative-laced drinks before assaulting her.
Within hours, photographs and videos connecting Kharat to some of Maharashtra’s most prominent political figures began circulating on social media. Among those images was something particularly damaging for Rupali Chakankar: a video showing her in a compromising position, washing the feet of the accused as well as photographs of her holding an umbrella over Kharat’s head at public events.
It also emerged that Chakankar was a trustee of Shri Shivnika Sansthan in Sinnar, Nashik district, where Kharat served as president.
The opposition moved instantly. Shiv Sena UBT leader Sushma Andhare held press conferences revealing the alleged connection, while social activist Anjali Damania called for Chakankar’s immediate removal, warning of a statewide agitation if action was not taken within 24 hours.
Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut put the contradiction starkly: Chakankar was supposed to ensure justice for women facing injustice, but instead she was seen washing the feet of a man accused of rape.
Chakankar hit back. She insisted her family’s connection to Kharat’s trust was rooted in the Warkari tradition, and stated that the video of the foot-washing was from five to six years ago, before any allegations against Kharat had emerged.
“How can anyone know what a person will do or how they will act in the future?” she asked. She also dismissed claims that she had participated in black magic rituals, threatened a journalist who had previously exposed Kharat, and denied that she had any knowledge of his alleged crimes.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked her to step down following the case. On March 20, 2026, Chakankar submitted her resignation as Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission, citing personal reasons in her letter to the Chief Minister.
In her final press interaction, she said: “I am being specifically targeted and accused because I am a woman. Many people have photos with Kharat, but it is I who is being made to pay.”
Net Worth
Rupali Chakankar is estimated to be worth $50,000 USD.
