Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde reveals he has Bell's Palsy: ‘Unable to speak…’

Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde on Thursday revealed that he has been suffering from Bell’s Palsy, which has affected his ability of speech. The minister said that his condition is preventing him from attending cabinet meetings.

The Maharashtra cabinet Minister of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection also revealed that he had undergone an eye surgery a fortnight ago and has been advised to take care of his eyes for about 10 days.

The National Congress Party (NCP) leader revealed his diagnoses in a post on X on Thursday.

“I had surgery on both my eyes fifteen days ago. The surgery was done under the guidance of Padma Shri Dr. T.P. Lahane. For about ten days, he advised me to take care of my eyes, especially from strong light, dust and sun,” he wrote.

Revealing his Bell's Palsy diagnosis, Munde said that his treatment is underway but he is unable to speak continuously for even two minutes. The minister is undergoing treatment at the Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai.

“Meanwhile, I was diagnosed with a disease called Bell's palsy. The treatment for it is currently underway under the guidance of the famous Dr. Arun Shah of Reliance Hospital. Due to this disease, I am currently unable to speak properly for even two minutes continuously. Therefore, I have not been able to attend one or two cabinet and party Janata Darbar programs,” he said in the post.

The minister has already informed this to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, he said, adding that he will return to service soon.

“I have given this idea to the Chief Minister, Shri. Devendra Fadnavis Saheb, as well as to our party leader, Deputy Chief Minister, Shri. Ajitdada Pawar. Soon, after overcoming this disease, I will return to public service work.”

What is Bell's Palsy?

A neurological disorder, Bell's Palsy causes one's facial muscles to weaken and suddenly paralyse. The condition often worsens over a couse of 48 hours.

Bell's Palsy is curable and usually not permanent, with patients being able to regain their facial consciousness within two weeks to six months.

Those affected with Bell's Palsy can often have difficulties in controlling the movement of the muscles on the affected side, affecting functions like closing the eyes, chewing, blinking, smiling and more.

The cause of the disease is not known, but can be linked to other diseases like diabetes, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), high blood pressure and Lyme disease, according to John Hopkins Medicine.