Widow of slain sarpanch loses by-poll in Beed

Minakshi Deshmukh lost the by-election for sarpanch, failing to gain sympathy after her husband’s murder, losing by 92 votes to Swarupanand Deshmukh.

MUMBAI: The widow of slain Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was defeated in the by-election to the post of sarpanch, which fell vacant when her husband was murdered in December 2024. The outcome indicates that Minakshi did not benefit from a sympathy wave. Minakshi lost by 92 votes on Wednesday.

Widow of slain sarpanch loses by-poll in Beed

Santosh Deshmukh was brutally murdered and his body dumped by a highway in Kej tehsil in Beed district. He was killed allegedly by a close aide of Walmik Karad, a close associate of former state minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde. He was murdered for foiling an extortion bid at a local power company.

Minakshi was pitted against Swarupanand Deshmukh in the by-election. She polled 822 votes, while Swarupanand bagged 914 votes. Of the 2,084 voters, 1,744 exercised their franchise in the election held on Tuesday.

Swarupanand, a distant relative of Minakshi and belonging to the same Maratha community, paid tributes to Santosh Deshmukh and met his family after the result was announced. “Voters, especially young voters, stood by me as they know who can take the village on the path of development. Minakshitai should not have fought the poll… She was not ready to contest but politics played behind the scenes compelled her to file her nomination,” he said.

Dhananjay Deshmukh, brother of the slain sarpanch, attributed Minakshi’s loss to lack of adequate campaigning due to the legal battle in the murder case. “We have taken the legal battle all the way to the Supreme Court. We have, however, accepted defeat and congratulated the winner,” he said.