Mumbai: On the opposition’s demand for dismissal of food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde (NCP) in the wake of allegations made against him after the murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Monday said that anyone with self-respect would have quit following a series of serious charges.
The Beed police have arrested Walmik Karad, a trusted aide of Munde, in a case of extortion as well as the murder of Deshmukh. “I know that in the past, a section of cabinet members had quit following allegations of corruption and criminal charges. Now there is no morality. Anyone with self-respect would quit the post,” Pawar said.
After the murder of sarpnach Santosh Deshmukh in December last year, pressure has been mounting on NCP president and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar to sack Munde from the cabinet. Ajit Pawar, however, has taken the view that it is for Dhananjay Munde to decide to resign from the cabinet. Apart from the entire opposition, even some members of the BJP like MLA Suresh Dhas and Prakash Solanki have demanded that Ajit Pawar should sack Munde from the cabinet.
Dhas has joined the agitation launched by the members of Deshmukh’s family. Aweek ago, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule called on the members of the sarpanch’s family.
However, a section of senior leaders of the NCP has come to the rescue of Munde, saying that in the absence of specific proof against him, it would be wrong to remove him from the cabinet on the basis of allegations..