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Ajit Pawar in Catch-22 as Maratha, OBC faultline flares over Beed sarpanch murder

To avoid being seen as a champion of either Marathas or OBCs, NCP chief has stuck to the stand in Deshmukh murder case that his decision on minister Munde's fate would depend on outcome of police probe.

Ajit Pawar has been unwilling to jettison Munde, who has a considerable support base among the OBCs in the Beed region. (Image: X)

The political storm in the wake of the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed’s Massajog village last month has continued to roil Maharashtra politics, with NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, a close lieutenant of party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, remaining at the centre of the row.

A political heavyweight from Beed district in the Marathwada region, Munde, 49, has been drawing heat from various quarters, including several social organisations and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), following the arrest of his close aide Walmik Karad in an extortion case linked to Deshmukh’s murder. However, despite growing demands for his resignation, Munde has chosen not to step down with Ajit standing by him so far.

Munde, a nephew of BJP leader late Gopinath Munde, is one of the prominent OBC leaders in the state, who belongs to the Vanjari group. Sarpanch Deshmukh was from the Maratha community while Karad belongs to the Vanjari community. With protests being held by various communities to seek justice in the murder case, Ajit, a Maratha stalwart, is facing a crisis, given the social and political repercussions of the row.

Following a strident agitation launched by Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil early last year to demand reservation for the Maratha community under the OBC category, Maharashtra politics has been marked by a growing conflict on caste lines.

Despite the split in the NCP, Pawars have continued to be seen as key Maratha faces in state politics. However, Ajit Pawar has been unwilling to jettison Munde, who has a considerable support base among the OBCs in the Beed region. Ajit’s dependence on Munde for his OBC outreach has especially increased after he sidelined senior OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal in the party affairs.

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At the same time, in a bid to avoid being seen as a champion of either Marathas or OBCs, Ajit has stuck to the stand in the Deshmukh murder case that his decision on Munde’s continuance as a minister would depend on the outcome of the police investigations.

An NCP functionary however said such a strategy “may not serve any purpose for Ajit Pawar”. “When Ajit visited Massajog village last month, he faced public protests for not taking action against Munde. The message that Pawar is shielding Munde has already gone to his Maratha base,” he said.

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Significantly, the ruling BJP seems to have given a free hand to its leader Suresh Dhas, party MLA from Ashti in Beed district, to keep his guns trained on Munde by raking up the Deshmukh murder case. While not directly mentioning Munde, Dhas has repeatedly used the word “Karad’s aaka (Karad’s boss)” to target him.

An NCP leader said, “BJP had lost its hold among Marathas in Marathwada significantly following Jarange-Patil’s agitation. So much so that BJP leader and then Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis barely campaigned there during the polls last year.”

With Dhas being at the forefront of a campaign for justice for Deshmukh, a section of estranged Marathas may renew their allegiance to the BJP. “On the other hand, if action is taken against Karad or Munde, a signal would go to OBCs that Ajit Pawar could not save his men,” the NCP leader said.

The relations between BJP leader and minister Pankaja Munde, daughter of Gopinath Munde, and Dhannanjay Munde has had been fraught. Pankaja also

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holds a significant influence over Vanjaris. Some observers say in the event of Dhananjay’s resignation, the BJP would not lose the support of the community in Beed owing to the Pankaja factor. “Ajit would bear the brunt in that case,” said an observer.

Another Mahayuti ally, Shiv Sena president and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has steered clear of the row so far. A “cold war” between Shinde and Ajit seems to be playing out again, with the Sena chief closely watching the rising tension within the Mahayuti over the issue.

According to a former state government bureaucrat, the Beed sarpanch murder affair has been one of the few cases in the state which continue to make headlines for more than a month now. “This is really strange. This is no longer just a sarpanch murder case. It has become a political game now. The solution to this matter will also be political,” he said.

Alok Deshpande

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read More