In a party meeting at his residence on Tuesday, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Ajit Pawar urged party leaders and MLAs to avoid controversial issues that could harm the party’s reputation. The directive comes in the wake of allegations involving Maharashtra’s civil supplies, food, and consumer affairs minister Dhananjay Munde and his alleged connection to Walmik Karad, the suspected mastermind behind the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.
Pawar emphasized the importance of maintaining the party’s integrity, particularly as local body elections approach. According to a senior leader present at the meeting, Pawar stressed that only the party chief and state president, Sunil Tatkare, should issue statements on significant matters. Pawar also advised party spokespersons to avoid making controversial remarks that could escalate tensions.
Meanwhile, despite growing pressure from the opposition and BJP, Munde, who is currently on a two-day visit to Delhi, insisted he would not resign. He stated that he was “not morally guilty” and that his resignation would only come if either Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis or Ajit Pawar requested it. Munde also criticized calls for his resignation, claiming a “conspiracy” was being orchestrated against him.
Munde’s statement came after activist Anjali Damani presented evidence to Pawar suggesting financial links between Munde and Karad, intensifying calls for his removal. In response to NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule’s remarks urging Munde to step down, Munde remained defiant, insisting that he would only resign if formally directed by the party leadership.
As the controversy over his alleged involvement in the murder case continues to unfold, Munde’s refusal to step down could lead to further tensions within the party and its alliances.
