Despite pressure, Ajit Pawar decides not to drop Munde from cabinet | Mumbai news
MUMBAI: Despite the overwhelming pressure on him to drop NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, whose close aide Walmik Karad has been linked to the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, Ajit Pawar has decided to retain Munde in the cabinet. The deputy CM announced this after a meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, a day after activist Anjali Damania furnished him with evidence that allegedly established Munde’s financial links with Karad.
Ajit said that the proof given by Damania would be handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CID, which is probing the murder case that has rocked Maharashtra’s political sphere. He stressed that the chief minister was also of the same opinion: that the probe agency should investigate all the allegations and whoever was found guilty should face action.
Ajit made his stand clear on retaining Munde hours after the latter said that the chief minister and the deputy chief minister would take a decision on his resignation.
Munde is in the eye of a storm on account of his links with Karad who has been not only arrested by the CID SIT but also booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for being an accused in several criminal cases.
On Monday, Damania had met Ajit and showed him alleged evidence of Munde’s close links with Karad. The pieces of evidence include those that prove how Munde’s wife Rajshri and Karad are business partners and are financially involved. Ajit assured Damania that he would apprise CM Fadnavis about the evidence and decide what to do next.
However, both Fadnavis and Ajit backed Munde. “Anjali Damania had a set of documents as well as some reels,” Pawar told Hindustan Times. “She told me, ‘After studying them, you will think of taking action against someone’. I met the chief minister this afternoon on the issue. He has already ordered an investigation into the case by an SIT of the CID and a judicial committee and has asked me to submit the documents to them for a probe. We have been repeatedly saying that whoever is found guilty will face action. No one will be spared.”
Ajit, clearly supporting Munde, also told reporters that there was no question of taking action if Munde was not found linked directly to the crime. “The brutal murder of the sarpanch is a blot on humanity and no one can support it. We have repeatedly said that all those guilty of it will be hanged,” he said.
Munde, on his part, attended the state cabinet meeting and also responded to the demands that he resign. “I won’t say anything on this issue. Anjali Damania met Ajit Dada and showed him some documents on which he and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will give a clear answer. They will also clarify if I should resign or not, and whether I am prima facie guilty or not,” a confident Munde declared.
The NCP minister then reiterated that those who murdered Santosh Deshmukh should be hanged to death and the case should be fast-tracked. He also denied the Office of Profit charges made by Damania, saying that the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco) was an independent corporation. “Mahagenco is not related to the state government, thus the matter doesn’t come under the purview of the Office of Profit,” he insisted. Damania had alleged that Munde had got contracts from Mahagenco despite being a legislator and minister, which was a direct violation of Office of Profit laws.
NCP insiders said that the party leadership would not be able to remove Munde despite all the pressure. “This will encourage the opposition to come out with allegations against other ministers, and it will become a never-ending cycle,” said a senior NCP leader.
On January 30, Ajit Pawar will go to Beed to attend the district planning committee for the first time. He was appointed the guardian minister of the district recently in place of Munde.
