NCP MLA Dhananjay Munde resigned from the Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday, stating his ongoing health issues and reaffirming his demand for the strictest punishment for those accused in the Beed Sarpanch murder case.
In a post on X, Munde expressed his distress over the brutal killing of Santosh Deshmukh from Massajog village, Beed district. “Seeing the photos that came up yesterday has deeply pained my heart,” he wrote. He also mentioned his doctors’ advice to undergo medical treatment and cited this as a reason for his resignation.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accepted Munde’s resignation and forwarded it to the Governor for further action. Sources suggest that Fadnavis had asked Munde to step down following allegations linking his close aide, Walmik Karad, to the murder case.
The opposition strongly criticized the Fadnavis government for delayed action. Congress leader Nana Patole accused the administration of protecting the guilty and questioned when action would be taken against other ministers with alleged criminal connections.
The controversy stems from the December 9 murder of Santosh Deshmukh, who was reportedly killed for opposing an extortion attempt related to a windmill project. Walmik Karad, said to be a close associate and business partner of Munde, was arrested and sent to judicial custody in January.