In the wake of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde’s resignation over his close aide’s alleged involvement in the Beed sarpanch murder case, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar convened an urgent meeting with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs and leaders at his official residence. The meeting, attended by all NCP ministers, MLAs, and Munde himself, focused on damage control and political strategy ahead of the state elections.

During the meeting, Pawar issued a stern warning to party leaders, urging them to be cautious about their associations. "Dhananjay Munde had to resign because of Walmik Karad. Do not depend entirely on workers for political activities. If anything goes wrong, not only the leader but also the party’s image gets tarnished," he cautioned.

Munde, the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies, stepped down from his post on Tuesday after Walmik Karad, a close confidant, was named as the mastermind behind the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accepted Munde’s resignation amid growing political pressure.

Political Fallout and Election Implications

The resignation has triggered intense political speculation, with opposition parties demanding accountability from the NCP-led faction. Sources suggest that before Munde’s exit, both CM Fadnavis and Deputy CM Pawar held discussions on the case’s impact. With Maharashtra Assembly elections approaching, the scandal is expected to influence voter sentiment and political alignments.

Munde, in his resignation statement, maintained that his "inner voice" led him to step down and reiterated his call for the strictest punishment for those responsible for the murder. However, political circles are already buzzing with talks of his potential replacement in the state cabinet.