It is for CM, Ajit Pawar to decide: Pankaja Munde on her cousin's future in cabinet

Mumbai, Jan 7 (PTI) BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde on Tuesday parried a question about her cousin Dhananjay Munde's continuance in the state cabinet, saying it was for the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Ajit Pawar to decide.

Dhananjay Munde, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party headed by deputy CM Ajit Pawar, is under fire as Munde's close aide Walmik Karad was arrested in an extortion case related to the murder of Massjog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district. Deshmukh was allegedly killed for trying to thwart the bid to extort money from a windmill company.

When asked whether Dhananjay Munde would continue in the cabinet, Pankaja said, "It is for his party's leadership (Ajit Pawar) and the chief minister to decide. I have no role in this matter." Both Dhananjay Munde and Pankaja Munde are legislators from Beed district.

Asked about allegations that officials belonging to a particular community -- Vanjari -- are holding many posts in Beed, Pankaja said she was not active in state politics for the last five years.

"I was in-charge of Madhya Pradesh (BJP) at the time. The district administration made the appointments under the leadership of the guardian minister and the chief minister," she said.

Dhananjay Munde was the guardian minister during this period.

While Deshmukh was a Maratha, most of the accused in the murder case belong to the Vanjari caste, the community to which the Munde family also belongs.

Asked about activist Anjali Damania allegedly being threatened by her supporters, Munde dismissed the claim as baseless. "I have no connection to such incidents. If Damania feels threatened, she should file a formal complaint, and action will be taken. Associating my name with these claims is unfair," she said.

"The political environment in Beed has deteriorated, but resolving this is not within my remit. I trust deputy chief minister (Ajit Pawar) and the chief minister to address the issues. My priority is to ensure justice for Santosh Deshmukh's family without engaging in unnecessary public display," she said. PTI ND KRK