India, July 26 -- Barely three months into the formation of the government, Dhananjay Munde, a senior minister from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), resigned from the cabinet, following a controversy over the alleged role of his close aide Walmik Karad in the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has had to douse many fires subsequently after several senior leaders from Mahayuti parties (Shiv Sena and NCP) kicked up a storm with their actions (see box).

Now, in order to put his house straight and unwilling to take any chances ahead of the local body elections planned after the monsoons, Fadnavis has decided to crack the whip.

On a recent two-day tour to New Delhi, the chief minister reportedly d...