No one should play politics over sarpanch murder case says Patel downplays Bhujbal's dissent

Gondia, Jan 3 (PTI) No one should indulge in politics in the Beed sarpanch murder case and it must be ensured that all accused get strict punishment, senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Union minister Praful Patel said here.
Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 after he tried to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm helming a windmill project in that district.
The case has been at the centre of an acrimonious tussle between the ruling alliance and the opposition, which claims Walmik Karad, the main accused in the extortion case linked to Deshmukh's murder, is a close aide of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde.
"A thorough probe must be carried out and all the accused must get strict punishment. However, no one should play politics over the case," Patel said on Thursday.
On dissent by senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal after he was not included in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet, Patel said the party leadership will speak to him and resolve grievances.
It is an internal matter of the NCP, Patel added.
In the days following the swearing-in ceremony on December 15, Bhujbal had lashed out at Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar over his non-inclusion.
Patel also said the Ajit Pawar-led NCP will contest the upcoming Delhi assembly polls in its bid to get the status of a national party.
An outfit can get "national party" status if it polls 6 per cent votes in four states and additionally wins four Lok Sabha seats.
National party status ensures the outfit's symbol is reserved for it across the country.
Patel also said the NCP wants to fight local body polls as part of the Mahayuti, which also consists of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Civic polls in several cities in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, are pending since early 2022.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)