Ashwini Deshmukh, the widow of slain sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, lost the bypoll for the Massajog village sarpanch post Wednesday in Beed district. Despite an expected sympathy wave following her husband’s brutal murder, she was defeated by Swarupanand Deshmukh by 92 votes in a close contest.
The counting of votes, which began at 10 am, saw a fluctuating battle for dominance. Swarupanand took an early lead, but Ashwini surged ahead in the second round. However, soon momentum shifted back to Swarupanand who eventually secured the win.
The Massajog village has 2,084 registered voters, of whom 1,744 cast their votes in the poll held Tuesday, for an 84 per cent voter turnout.
Following the result, Swarupanand said, “Despite the allegations made against me, the village residents stood by me. This victory belongs to the self-respecting youth of Massajog. I was part of the battle alongside Santosh Deshmukh before, and I will continue to work for the village’s development with that same trust.”
“The residents have elected me with the confidence that I am the one who can get the village’s work done in the coming times. It is because of this trust that I have emerged victorious,” he added.
Swarupanand went to meet the family of Santosh Deshmukh even as his supporters celebrated the moment by throwing “gulal” and distributing sweets.
He then paid his respects to the nearby portrait of Santosh Deshmukh by offering a garland.
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Dhananjay Deshmukh, brother of Santosh Deshmukh, extended his best wishes to Swarupanand for his future endeavors. Swarupanand assured the family that he would stand by them in their fight for justice and work toward fulfilling Santosh Deshmukh’s vision.
He met with the mother of the late Santosh Deshmukh. He offered a floral tribute at Santosh Deshmukh’s portrait. Dhananjay Deshmukh was present during this visit.
When Swarupanand met and sought the blessings of Santosh Deshmukh’s mother, she confronted him with a sharp question: “If this had happened to anyone else, would the “gulal” have been celebrated like this?”
In turn, Swarupanand responded, “I had no other choice (no remedy).”
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Santosh Deshmukh’s mother then expressed her resentment, asking, “How was there no choice? She was your sister, wasn’t she?”
Swarupanand Deshmukh then made a quick exit from that spot.
Speaking to reporters, Dhananjay Deshmukh said, “The loss of our brother is the greatest loss of all; therefore, this defeat is secondary. I accept the defeat and the mandate given by the villagers. I request that the rumours being spread should stop henceforth. Ultimately, the battle for justice must be fought by the family and us, and we will fight it together with the villagers.”
The bypoll was necessitated by the murder of Santosh Deshmukh on December 29, 2024. The case became a national talking point after evidence suggested the involvement of Walmik Karad, a close associate of NCP leader and Maharashtra Cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde.
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Photos and videos of the brutality, allegedly linked to an extortion and kidnapping racket, led to massive public outcry. Under immense pressure, Munde resigned as the Minister for Agriculture (holding additional charges of Tribal Development and Food and Civil Supplies) in early 2025.
Karad and several others remain in jail as the state Criminal Investigation Department (CIR) continues to pursue the case. One associate is still reportedly at large.
The Massajog bypoll was part of a larger election cycle Tuesday, where voting was held for 31 seats across 27 gram panchayats in Maharashtra.
Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis.
Professional Legacy
Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles.
Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change.
Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities.
Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees.
Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area:
1. Political Shifts & Alliances
"Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala.
"BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls.
"Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections.
"NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections.
2. Civic & Administrative Accountability
"PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions.
"93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads.
3. Social & Labor Issues
"As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra.
"Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse.
Signature Beat
Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport.
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