The resignation comes amid mounting political pressure on the Shiv Sena following the murder of Pradeep Purnekar, which completed one month. The ongoing protests by the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction, an all-party action committee and Purnekar’s family have put the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in a difficult position. The development came within 24 hours of Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik publicly suggesting at a press conference that Meenakshi Shinde should step aside from her position.
In her resignation letter, Meenakshi Shinde said she was deeply distressed by the allegations and counter-allegations circulating on social media and in political circles over the past few days in connection with the Pradeep Purnekar murder case. She clarified that her decision was intended to protect the party’s reputation and uphold the dignity of its leadership.
Following the murder of Pradeep Purnekar, a divisional chief of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), his family levelled allegations against Meenakshi Shinde and her husband, Rajendra Shinde. The family has been demanding their arrest and her resignation from the party post. Although the party did not formally remove her, Meenakshi Shinde eventually submitted her resignation voluntarily after 29 days.
In a letter sent to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on October 29, Meenakshi Shinde detailed her position and expressed concern over what she described as coordinated attempts by different political parties to put pressure on the party leadership by making allegations against her.
"Various political parties are collectively making allegations against me in an attempt to create pressure on the party leadership. These developments have caused me immense emotional distress. I cannot accept becoming a reason for the defamation of the very leadership whose dignity I have worked to protect," she stated in the letter.
She further said that she had worked for the party with complete loyalty and had never engaged in any activity that could force the party or its leadership to bow their heads in shame. Alleging that her name was being linked to cases with which she had no connection, she said pressure was being exerted on the party through such accusations.
She also expressed disappointment over what she described as an attempt to question her loyalty and contribution to the party through allegations, saying that the situation had deeply hurt her.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Aaditya Thackeray questioned when the main accused and alleged mastermind behind the Purnekar murder would be arrested. He also asked whether government machinery was being used to protect the individuals concerned.
Targeting the state government and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Aaditya Thackeray said the resignation was not the central issue. He maintained that the crucial questions were how far the investigation had progressed and when the accused would be arrested.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also reacted to the controversy, describing Purnekar’s murder as extremely unfortunate and painful. He said he had taken serious cognisance of the incident on the very first day and issued strict instructions to the Police Commissioner to ensure an impartial investigation.
According to Shinde, the police promptly arrested the accused and seized the weapons involved in the case. However, he accused opposition parties of attempting to exploit the grief of a bereaved family for political gains and putting the people of Thane under pressure.
Shinde further alleged that certain political leaders were coming from outside Thane to participate in the protests. He described the alleged attempt to turn the family's suffering into a political issue and inconvenience Thane residents as shameful.
The resignation has added another political dimension to the Purnekar murder case, with questions over the investigation, the arrest of the alleged mastermind and the allegations against Meenakshi Shinde continuing to fuel tensions between the rival political factions.
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