Amid the demand for the ouster of Maharashtra Forest Minister Sanjay Rathod over name being linked to the death of a woman, the Shiv Sena leader on Sunday tenders his resignation from the post.
“I’ve given my resignation to CM Uddhav Thackeray. The way opposition is warning that they won’t allow Assembly session to function, I’ve distanced myself from it. I want fair probe in case (in connection with death of a woman in Pune earlier this month),” Rathod told reporters, according to news agency ANI.
Earlier, the opposition party, Bhartiya Janata Party in the state had demanded Rathod’s resignation, even as the minister has denied that he had anything to do with the death.
The 23-year-old woman died after falling from a building on February 8, and Pune Police had said they were probing the suicide angle. Some audio clips purportedly having bearing on the case had gone viral after her death.
In Rathod’s defence, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut earlier today had said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will not take any decision under pressure.
“Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will not take any decision under pressure. To keep anyone in the cabinet or not is the CM’s prerogative,” Raut said.
The Rajya Sabha member also accused Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari of indulging in politics.
The BJP has already announced that it would not let the budget session of the state legislature run smoothly if Rathod does not step down before March 1. The session is scheduled to start from Monday.
Meanwhile, the women’s wing of the state BJP staged demonstrations seeking Rathod’s resignation in Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Aurangabad and other cities.
With inputs from agencie
