‘Maratha community has been let down’: Quota activist Jarange-Patil reacts to BJP MLA Dhas’s meetings with NCP minister Dhananjay Munde

After the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in December last year, it was Suresh Dhas who was at the forefront of the attack on Dhananjay Munde, holding his close associates responsible for the crime.

3 min readPuneUpdated: Feb 15, 2025 04:38 PM IST

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil said Dhas has let down the Maratha community which had admired him for raising his voice against the killers of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. (Express File Photo)

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil Saturday launched a scathing attack on BJP MLA Suresh Dhas for meeting NCP minister Dhananjay Munde. Jarange-Patil said Dhas has let down the Maratha community which had admired him for raising his voice against the killers of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

“Dhas has been vocal against those behind the murder of Santosh Deshmukh. He vowed to destroy the political careers of those people. Now he has gone and seen the faces of those people. How can he meet a cruel man? How can he meet a man whose associates are responsible for the murder of Santosh Deshmukh? Now, whom should the Maratha community seek justice from?” Jarange-Patil told media persons at Antarwali-Saraati in the Jalna district.

“He tried getting compliments from the Maratha community and at the same, he is playing politics… If he wanted honour from the Maratha community, then he should have fought for the community till the end,” the quota activist added.

On Friday, it emerged that Dhas, a vocal critic of Dhananjay Munde, had met the minister twice. Once, he had met Munde a fortnight ago at the residence of BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule in Mumbai. The second meeting happened at Munde’s residence in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Dhas and Bawankule both confirmed that the meetings had taken place. The meeting at Bawankule’s residence lasted more than four hours.

“Both Dhas and Munde met at my residence in my presence. I told them to resolve their differences. Both have differences but there is no discord between them,” Bawankule said.

Asked about the meeting, Dhas said, “I went to Bawankule’s residence because he had invited me for dinner. Munde had also come. Bawankule asked us to resolve our differences. However, I said I will not speak on the Deshmukh issue. I told him that I would continue to fight to secure justice for the Deshmukh family.”

Story continues below this ad

After the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in December last year, it was Dhas who was at the forefront of the attack on Munde, holding his close associates responsible for the crime. Dhas and other political leaders had criticised Munde, saying he was shielding his associates in the case. Munde’s close associate Walmik Karad has been arrested in connection with the case.

Manoj Dattatrye More

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. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Loading Recommendations...

Mar 06: Latest News

Live Blog