Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar visited Beed on Wednesday to review various development projects and schemes. However, NCP leader and former minister Dhananjay Munde was absent from the visit, citing health issues. On Tuesday night, Munde was spotted at a fashion show in Mumbai’s Gateway of India with his wife Rajshree Munde. His daughter Vaishnavi participated in the event, and a video from the show has gone viral.
Munde had earlier informed via a post on social media platform X that he could not attend the Beed tour due to his ongoing health condition. “I was supposed to be present for the entire duration of Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar’s visit to Beed today. However, as my health remains unstable, I had to come to Mumbai for treatment yesterday,” Munde wrote. He added that he had informed the party leadership in advance and urged against any confusion regarding his absence.
However, after the fashion show video surfaced, questions were raised whether Munde deliberately avoided Ajit Pawar or was his health the real issue. Notably, during Ajit Pawar's visit to Beed, Minister Pankaja Munde and MLA Suresh Dhas were present at the events
Munde, a former Guardian Minister of Beed, resigned from his ministerial position following public outrage over the brutal murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in December.
Munde’s close aide, Walmik Karad, has been named the main accused in Deshmukh’s kidnapping and murder. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the crime. The ninth accused remains absconding.