“I will not hesitate to invoke even the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against you if you are found involved in any extortion bids,” he added. Munde was standing next to Ajit when he made this announcement.
Who is Dhananjay Munde?Dhananjay Munde was raised by his uncle, the late Gopinath Munde, a former deputy chief minister and BJP leader. During Munde’s stint as state deputy chief minister, Dhananjay sparked controversy in Beed, where he was in-charge. Following the emergence of Gopinath’s daughter Pankaja as his heir apparent, the 49-year-old began seeking alternatives beyond his uncle.
He joined the NCP because he believed his uncle would not allow him to grow within the party. Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit, both keen on developing a strong non-Maratha leadership in Marathwada, encouraged Dhanajay. After the Congress-NCP lost power in 2014, they appointed him to the state legislative council and eventually to the role of Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House.
Dhananjay’s political career progressed substantially during this term. He gained political control of Gopinath’s constituency, winning first in 2019 by defeating Pankaja and again in 2024 against an NCP (SP) candidate. He also quickly acquired Ajit’s trust and became a close aide. When Ajit first attempted to split the NCP after the 2019 assembly election, Dhananjay played a pivotal role in the vertical split of the NCP in 2023.However, he has been embroiled in several controversies. During his stint as agricultural minister in the Mahayuti government, he faced criticism for forcing the removal of an agriculture secretary who denied certain departmental plans. Renu Sharma, a singer, accused him of rape in 2021 but later withdrew her allegation. In this matter, Munde admitted that he was in a relationship with Renu’s sister Karuna.
He served as a minister in three successive governments (MVA, Mahayuti, and Mahayuti 2.0), as well as Beed’s guardian minister.
Leaders in Beed allege that Munde’s attempt to gain political control of the area ledto the current turmoil in the district. There have been allegations of acquiring land and properties, cornering all government contracts, extortion, as well as killings against specific groups.
What Ajit Pawar and others said
The deputy CM clarified that no action would be taken against the minister. “We will take action if there is truth in the allegations, else there is no question of taking action,” he added.
On Monday, activist Anjali Damani met Ajit and presented him with suspected evidence of Munde’s financial connections with Karad. Later, on Tuesday, BJP’s Suresh Dhas also handed Ajit a pen drive with purported evidence against Munde.
On Wednesday, Munde said that he was ready to resign if asked by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis or Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. He dismissed the possibility of resigning on moral grounds and said, “My morality is rooted in my honesty towards my people. I speak with complete sincerity. I do not consider myself morally guilty. If I am guilty, my senior leaders will tell me so.”
