NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has been at the center of a controversy related to the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh for over three months. On Tuesday, Munde resigned as Maharashtra’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister, just a day after photos of the murder went viral. Munde, who had been under pressure since his close aide Walmik Karad’s arrest in connection with the case, stated that his resignation was due to poor health and that he was “deeply saddened” by the photos.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed Dhananjay Munde’s resignation, saying, “Minister Dhananjay Munde has submitted his resignation, which I have accepted. It has been sent to the governor for further action.” Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar said Munde resigned based on moral grounds.
In a post on X, Dhananjay Munde expressed his sadness about the viral photos and reiterated his demand for the strictest punishment for those responsible for the murder. He said, “The investigation is complete, the charge sheet has been filed, and a judicial inquiry is proposed. Due to my poor health and the doctor’s advice, I have decided to step down.”
On Monday night, Fadnavis met with Ajit Pawar and top NCP leaders for about one and a half hours to discuss the matter. Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, was killed on December 9 after allegedly trying to stop an extortion attempt from a windmill company. The photos of his murder, attached to the chargesheet, went viral, causing a public outcry. The opposition demanded Munde’s resignation and called for an impartial inquiry.
बीड जिल्ह्यातील मस्साजोगचे स्व. संतोष देशमुख यांच्या निर्घृण हत्येतील आरोपींना कठोरात कठोर शिक्षा व्हावी, ही माझी पहिल्या दिवसापासूनची ठाम मागणी आहे. काल समोर आलेले फोटो पाहून तर मन अत्यंत व्यथित झाले.
— Dhananjay Munde (@dhananjay_munde) March 4, 2025
या प्रकरणाचा तपास पूर्ण झाला असून आरोपपत्र न्यायालयात दाखल झाले आहे. तसेच,…
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said Munde’s resignation wasn’t enough and that the government needed to be dismissed. He criticized the government for not acting sooner, despite being aware of the situation for months. Thackeray also called for a revised chargesheet and for Munde to be made a co-accused.
BJP MLA Suresh Dhas thanked Fadnavis for accepting Munde’s resignation, saying, “I have always raised the issue of the Massajog murders, and now it’s clear I was right.” NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal acknowledged Munde’s resignation but questioned how much he was involved in the murder.
Meanwhile, NCP (SP) leader Sandeep Kshirsagar said Munde’s resignation was long overdue and demanded that Munde be made a co-accused. He also expressed anger over the incident, saying the accused should face the death penalty.