The surrender of NCP Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dhananjay Munde’s close aide Walmik Kharad in the Beed murder case has raised the heat in Maharashtra politics. The Opposition is now increasingly demanding Munde’s resignation, and raising questions over the alleged irregularities in the investigation.
The outcome of the case —- now being handled by the Maharashtra CID and a Special Investigation Team — is the first big litmus test for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis since the Mahayuti government came back to power in November 2024. The fact that the case involves an ally is another reason the BJP and Fadnavis are being watched closely.
The CID has so far arrested six persons for the December 9 murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. The Opposition has been questioning why it took 20 days for the main accused Walmik Karad to surrender, and why one of the accused is still absconding.
Fanning the fires for the BJP, its own MLA Suresh Dhas has been at the forefront seeking Munde’s resignation. He also participated in the all-party delegation which met Governor C P Radhakrishnan a couple of days ago to demand Munde’s resignation.
Meanwhile, in more trouble for Munde, his sister-in-law Sarangi Mahajan alleged Monday that Munde and his accomplices had coerced her into selling a piece of land in Parli for Rs 21 lakh while its real price was Rs 3.5 crore. She also claimed that Karad, “who is close to the family”, played a role in all of Munde’s deals.
Adding to the Opposition’s ire, Munde on Tuesday attended the weekly Cabinet meeting and asserted to the media he had not resigned. While Munde has not denied his association with Karad, he has reportedly held on to his claim that he had no role in the crime.
After the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said: “All those involved in the crime directly or indirectly will be taken to task and punished. There was no question of sparing anybody.” He added, “The ongoing investigation will get to the roots of the case.”
Sources said that the BJP top leadership has also taken notice of the matter.
The matter is said to have come up on Wednesday during a meeting of Ajit Pawar with Union Home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. “In a coalition government, we have to take into confidence the views of the alliance partners. If there is concrete evidence to establish Munde’s role in the crime, he will have to go,” a BJP source said.
However, as a senior BJP functionary in Maharashtra admitted, it would be “a serious blow to the Mahayuti alliance’s image if Munde resigns”. “If there is proof, Munde will have to resign… But without evidence, the Mahayuti is unlikely to take any action. Which means they will wait and watch till the probe is complete,” the leader said.
What will also worry the BJP is that the murder case will further add to the Maratha-OBC tension in the state.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil was one of the first to demand the resignation of Munde – among the state’s most prominent OBC leaders, belonging to the Vanjari community – following the sarpanch murder. OBC leader Laxmam Hake has, meanwhile, come forward to defend Munde.
On the Maratha quota issue too, Jarange Patil and Hake had crossed swords.
“We will hold demonstrations across Maharashtra till justice is given to the sarpanch’s family members. If there is any cover up or attempt to save the mastermind behind this crime, we will intensify the agitation,” Jarange Patil has said.
Hake, in turn, has warned that while he “condemns the crime too”, it can’t be tolerated if “somebody is trying to target an individual (Munde) to settle caste politics under the pretext of a crime”.
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