Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde has stepped down following the arrest of a close associate related to the shocking murder of a sarpanch in Beed district that took place in December.
Munde, who managed the portfolios of food and civil supplies, has resigned at the request of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after his assistant Walmik Karad was detained for his suspected involvement in the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village.
In a post on X, Munde expressed that it has been his strong request for the suspects in the sarpanch’s murder case to receive the severest punishment. “Upon viewing the photos that emerged yesterday, I felt a profound sadness. The inquiry into this issue has concluded, and the charge sheet has been submitted to the court. Also, a judicial inquiry is proposed,” he mentioned.
The NCP leader stated he listened to his “inner voice” to make the choice. He mentioned that his health has also been poor and the doctor recommended that he start treatment soon.
Fadnavis informed the media that he had accepted Mr. Munde’s resignation and had sent it to Governor CP Radhakrishnan.
Sources indicate that Mr. Fadnavis’s letter followed a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to address the political implications of a chargesheet in the sarpanch’s murder case and insights gained regarding Karad’s purported involvement.
Dhananjay Munde, aged 49, is an MLA from the NCP led by Ajit Pawar and serves as the representative for the Parli constituency in Beed within the Assembly.
Dhananjay Munde, the nephew of the late BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde, is a cousin of Pankaja Munde, the Maharashtra minister. Dhananjay Munde became a member of the NCP in 2013.
When the party led by Sharad Pawar fractured in 2023, he aligned himself with Ajit Pawar. Previously, he held the position of Leader of the Opposition in the legislative council and was a state minister in the Uddhav Thackeray administration.
