Dhananjay Munde resigns: Medical or moral grounds?

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dhananjay Munde. Pic/PTI

NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) minister Dhananjay Munde's resignation on Tuesday has sparked fresh controversy, as both Pawar and Munde have cited different reasons for Munde's stepping down from the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government.

On Tuesday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Munde submitted his resignation to the CM, which was immediately accepted. Speaking to the media at Vidhan Bhavan, Fadnavis said, "Munde has offered his resignation. I have accepted it and forwarded the same to the governor for further process."

However, the resignation soon exposed cracks within the NCP (Ajit Pawar) faction. Pawar claimed Munde quit on moral grounds, but Munde's post on X suggested otherwise. Referring to viral pictures and videos of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh's brutal murder, Munde wrote, "The entire episode is mentally disturbing. Doctors have advised rest. On medical grounds, I am offering my resignation."

Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders protest against Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde demanding his resignation over the killing of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Munde resigned on Tuesday citing medical grounds. Pic/PTI

The demand for Munde's resignation had been growing since the day of the murder. Political pressure and public outrage intensified on Monday evening after disturbing images and videos of Deshmukh's killing surfaced on social media. Finally, 84 days after the incident, Munde resigned.

The visuals are reportedly part of the charge sheet submitted by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) to the Beed court. According to the charge sheet, Valmik Karad and seven others are prime accused in Deshmukh's murder. Karad's alleged proximity to Munde has raised ethical concerns.

Deshmukh's family members, social activist Anjali Damania, Maratha leader Manoj Jarange, and Mahayuti leaders - Suresh Dhas (BJP) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) MLA Prakash Solanke - have been vocal about the case and Munde's resignation. Both Dhas and Solanke hail from Beed, a district heavily influenced by Munde.

On March 3, the first day of the budget session, MVA leaders staged a protest demanding Munde's resignation. On Sunday, while addressing the media ahead of the session, Fadnavis had stated that any resignation decision would be based on moral considerations. Even BJP ally and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale backed the public's demand. "Munde is not directly involved, but his proximity to Karad warrants his resignation on moral grounds," he had said.

UBT divided over resignation

Aaditya Thackeray slammed the government for delaying Munde's resignation and demanded the Mahayuti government's dismissal. However, Milind Narvekar, a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray and member of the Legislative Council, congratulated Fadnavis on X after Munde stepped down.

Political reactions

Munde's cousin, Pankaja Munde, who is the state's Environment Minister, welcomed the resignation but said it should have come sooner. "Ideally, Dhananjay Munde should not have taken the oath as minister in the first place," she said.

Aaditya Thackeray and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar demanded that Munde be made a co-accused in the case. "Reports suggest the murder was linked to an extortion demand that the minister (Dhananjay Munde) was aware of. He should be made a co-accused," said Rohit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's grandson.

Aaditya Thackeray further demanded that the government be dissolved over the case. "The revised charge sheet should include Dhananjay Munde as a co-accused," he said.

NCP MP Supriya Sule questioned whether the resignation was truly on moral grounds. "The demand for Munde's resignation has been longstanding. But he resigned only after 84 days when the visuals went viral and public outrage peaked. Can this still be called a resignation on moral grounds?" she asked.

NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and MLA Jitendra Awhad questioned the delay in resignation. "The investigation agency must have briefed the government about the pictures. Then why did the government wait for resignation till the images and videos were out in the public domain? Had not there been public outcry the resignation would not have happened. This exhibits how insensitive the ruling regime is," Awhad, former minister for housing added.

Munde's disqualification demanded

Social activist Anjali Damania, who has been fighting for justice for Deshmukh's family, stated that mere resignation was not enough. "I will fight until Munde's MLA status is revoked," she asserted.