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NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule has demanded Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde’s resignation over his alleged links to the Beed sarpanch murder case, citing moral grounds and political accountability.
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NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule on Wednesday called for Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde’s resignation on moral grounds amid ongoing controversy surrounding the Beed sarpanch murder case.
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Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Sule criticised the BJP-led Maharashtra government for not taking action against Munde, despite his close associate being linked to the gruesome killing of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. According to PTI, 50 days have passed since Deshmukh’s abduction and murder, yet Munde remains in office as the state’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister.
Munde’s aide, Walmik Karad, has been arrested in an extortion case connected to the murder. As per PTI reports, Deshmukh was allegedly targeted for opposing an extortion attempt involving an energy firm in Beed district. The sarpanch was abducted, tortured, and killed on 9 December 2024. While seven individuals have been arrested in the murder case, Karad remains in judicial custody for his alleged role in the extortion racket.
Drawing comparisons with previous political resignations, Sule remarked, “Anil Deshmukh stepped down as home minister when allegations of a ₹100 crore bribery scandal surfaced against him. Similarly, Nawab Malik and Chhagan Bhujbal were arrested and jailed based on hearsay allegations.”
Anil Deshmukh is a member of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), while Bhujbal and Malik are aligned with the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the NCP, which is currently in alliance with the BJP. PTI reports that Munde, who also belongs to Ajit Pawar’s faction, has faced mounting pressure over his alleged links to Karad.
Sule further claimed that several leaders from the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, were in favour of Munde’s resignation. “If my party’s name was being dragged through the mud for 50 days, I would step aside on moral grounds. I would tell my party that I am here to contribute to its growth, not to tarnish its reputation,” she asserted.
The Baramati MP also raised concerns over allegations of an “office of profit” in Munde’s case. Referring to activist Anjali Damania’s accusations, she highlighted that Munde and his wife were allegedly partners in two firms that secured contracts from MAHAGENCO, a state-owned power generation company, to dispose of fly ash produced by its thermal power plants.
Sule pointed to a precedent set by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who resigned as a Lok Sabha MP in 2006 after facing similar allegations. “Sonia Gandhi stepped down immediately when office of profit allegations were levelled against her, even though she was not a minister,” she stated.
(With inputs from PTI)
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