After Sanjay Rathod's resignation, BJP sets target on Dhananjay Munde

After Shiv Sena's Sanjay Rathod resigned from the government, the BJP is set to demand the resignation of social justice and special assistance minister Dhananjay Munde of the NCP.

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil said, "Today Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray showed the courage to dismiss Sanjay Rathod. He hopes NCP President Sharad Pawar would also take a similar decision in the matter of another minister Dhananjay Munde."

“We will demand Munde’s resignation,” senior BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar told DH on Sunday.

Munde (45), a prominent Vanjari leader, is an MLA from Beed in the Marathwada region - and is seen close to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

On being asked about Munde, Thackeray evaded a direct reply, he said, "Both cases are different...in Munde's case, the complainant has withdrawn the allegation."

Dhananjay, the nephew of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde, was accused of rape by Mumbai-based singer Renu Sharma, with whose sister Karuna Sharma he had a long relationship and sired two children.

Renu, however, withdrew the complaint. Karuna later alleged that Munde had confined their two children in Chitrakoot, the official bungalow of the minister.

Following the allegations of rape by Renu Sharma, the Maha Vikas Aghadi leadership was of the opinion that Munde should face a probe without expulsion from the ministry – after then Mumbai city BJP vice president and now Shiv Sena leader Krishna Hegde and MNS leader Manish Dhuri accused the woman of attempting to honey-trap them.

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had described the charges as “serious” but went by the collective decision of the NCP and MVA.