NCP Fumes After BJP Legislator Targets Ajit Pawar Over Beed Sarpanch Murder

Mumbai: The murder of a sarpanch in Beed district has not only put the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government in a tight spot but has also led to a rumbling within the ruling alliance. The NCP, on Sunday, took strong objection to BJP MLA Suresh Dhas targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar over the incident. The NCP leaders also took a jibe at the BJP saying the MLA does trust the home department that it will hold a fair probe into the murder.

NCP spokesperson Suraj Chavan accused Dhas of deliberately doing politics over Deshmukh’s murder and creating a rift in the Mahayuti alliance. In an X post, he said, “I want to ask Suresh Dhas, is the home department sleeping since the accused are surrendering on their own. Does he not trust the state home department that it will conduct a fair probe into the murder?” Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis holds charge of the home department.

If anyone from the NCP is found involved in the murder case, Pawar will not hesitate to take action against him, he added.

“I want to request Devendra Fadnavis to ask Dhas not to vitiate the cordial atmosphere of the Mahayuti alliance. If Ajit Pawar is defamed, we will respond appropriately,” Chavan said.

Another NCP leader and MLC Amol Mitkari too asked Fadnavis to take action against Dhas. “Will Devendra Fadnavis rein in his MLA for questioning Ajit Dada or allow the wild bull to run amok?” Mitkari quipped in a post on X.

Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9, apparently because he tried to thwart an attempt to extort money from an energy firm operating a windmill project. Walmik Karad, an associate of Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in the extortion case.

Police have so far arrested seven persons in connection with the murder case. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) is conducting a probe into the case.

While the opposition parties have demanded Munde’s resignation from the cabinet, Dhas too has also been targeting the minister over the Deshmukh murder case. During a protest in Parbhani on Saturday, Dhas, in a veiled reference to Munde’s induction into the cabinet, taunted NCP chief Pawar saying, “Ajit dada kya hua tera vada...kaiko isko andar liya (Ajit dada what happened to your promise, why you inducted him)?”

Dhas continued his tirade on Sunday claiming the conspiracy to murder of Santosh Deshmukh had been planned four months ago. He also asked the CM to remove Munde from the cabinet or make the NCP leader a minister without a portfolio.

Meanwhile, Sakal Maratha Samaj on Sunday organised a ‘Janakrosh Morcha’ in Pune to seek justice for the slain sarpanch.