Aaditya Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Worli MLA and son of Maharashtra former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, on Tuesday demanded the dismissal of the Devendra Fadnavis government in the state over the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district after a key minister stepped down following questions over his alleged links to the prime accused in the case.

“Why did the resignation take so long? For months since the murder of the sarpanch there was enough evidence on who was behind the murder. Chief minister, who had tied your hands?” Aaditya wrote in Marathi on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.

He later told the media: “Resignation is not enough. This government needs to be dismissed. Law and order is in a terrible situation today. Nobody can control it. The government was aware of what had happened in Beed, but chose to remain silent for this long.”

Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed, of which Munde was also the guardian minister, was abducted, tortured and killed on December 9 last year. Deshmukh had intervened in alleged attempts to extort money from an energy company in the district.

The cops had arrested Walmik Karad, a close associate of Munde, and six others, while another offender is fugitive. On Monday, videos and images of Deshmukh’s murder submitted by the CID along with the chargesheet were leaked. The videos – of two seconds to 2.04 minutes duration – were allegedly shot on the smartphone of one of the accused, Mahesh Kedar.

Munde announced his resignation on his X handle on Tuesday around 11.23am.

“It has been my firm demand since day one that the accused in the brutal murder of the late Santosh Deshmukh of Massajog in Beed district should be given the strictest punishment. Seeing the photos that surfaced yesterday, I was deeply saddened,” Munde wrote. “The investigation into this matter has been completed and the chargesheet has been filed in the court.”

Munde cited ill-health behind his reason to step down as minister.

“As I have been unwell for the past few days, my physician has advised me to rest and undergo treatment. For medical reasons I have submitted my resignation from the cabinet,” Munde wrote.

At the Mantralaya in Mumbai, CM Fadnavis confirmed Munde’s resignation had been accepted.

Since Deshmukh’s murder and the alleged links with Munde’s close associate Walmik Karad, the former minister had been drawing flak from the Opposition.

Fadnavis met Ajit Pawar, the NCP chief and his deputy in the Maharashtra government, on Monday night and was firm that Munde has to go.

Both ally BJP and opposition parties had been calling for the scalp of Munde.

The Mahavikas Agadhi partners, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SP) have demanded the cops file a revised chargesheet with Munde as co-accused.

The Beed MLA from NCP (SP), Sandeep Kshirsagar, said the district has been on the boil since Deshmukh’s murder. “Munde’s resignation was long overdue. He should be made co-accused in the case,” said Kshirsagar.

BJP lawmaker Suresh Dhas, who had been demanding Munde’s resignation, said he was vindicated.