Speaking to reporters, Shastri justified the decision to back Munde and said he personally assessed his mindset during his visit to Bhagwangad. "Dhananjay Munde does not have a criminal background.
The December 9 abduction and brutal murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district is still haunting the government, as the opposition refuses to back down on the issue.