• Vidhan Sabha speaker Haribhau Bagade at Vidhan Bhavan Hemant Padalkar DNA

Haribhau Bagade, fondly called nana by those who have known him for years, is an unassuming person. Simplicity is the hallmark of this five-time MLA who is a staunch RSS man. He is proud of being called a farmer rather than a politician and his house in Aurangabad is named Krishiyog.

Born in a family of farmers in Chitte-Pimpalgaon village, 15-16km away from Aurangabad, Bagade was the first boy from his family to attend school. After passing out from Saraswati Bhavan school, he took up agriculture, like his father and two brothers.

Born on August 17, 1945, he became an RSS Swayamsevak at the age of 13 and worked as a journalist with Weekly Vivek, which was devoted to right-wing ideology between 1965 and 1969. In those days, Bagade attended press conferences addressed by none other than the late Yashwantrao Chavan and Vasantrao Naik, legendary Congress leaders and former chief ministers. He worked full time for Jansangh between 1967 and 1972 for Aurangabad district.

After Maharashtra faced severe drought in 1972-73, Bagade worked as secretary of the drought relief committee of RSS and started cattle camp for 700 cattle from Aurangabad inBuldhana district, ultimately succeeding in saving the animals. He also worked towards providing good amenities to employment guarantee scheme labourers during this period.

After the Emergency, it was because of Bagade's organisational skills that Pundlikrao Danve won Jalna Lok Sabha seat in 1977 and Rambhau Gavande won the Aurangabad Eastassembly seat in 1978. He founded Devgiri Urban Cooperative Bank and also runs Chhatrapati Sambhaji cooperative sugar factory, besides founding cooperative milk producers federation and the cooperative credit society. After winning three successive assembly elections in 1985, 1990 and 1995, Bagade became minister in 1995 — employment guarantee scheme minister and, later, food and civil supplies minister. He started the novel scheme of home service of food grains and kerosene during his tenure.

Bagade has held posts of secretary, general secretary and vice president of BJP's state unit. Many party workers know that Bagade, despite being an MLA and office-bearer, never requires any protocol and prefers to stay overnight at the RSS office in any of the small towns in Marathwada. Many a times, he has been seen sleeping in a small corner, without asking for any amenities, as he prefers to live like an ordinery Sangh Swayamsevak.