The Maharashtra civic electionresults have once again highlighted the issue of candidates with criminal backgrounds, as several such contestants won seats in Puneand Jalna. Some winners even celebrated their victories from behind bars.
From relatives of gangsters and jailed women to an accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case, several local poll winners drew national attention.
In Pune, two relatives of gangster Suryakant, alias Bandu Andekar—who is currently in jail for the murder of his own grandson—won seats in Ward No. 23 during Friday’s civic polls. Despite being in judicial custody, both candidates secured victories that have reignited the debate over the criminalization of local politics.
Family Feud and Revenge Killings
The elected candidates, Sonali Andekar (Bandu’s daughter-in-law) and Laxmi Andekar (his sister-in-law), were fielded by the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The party faced strong criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for giving tickets to individuals facing criminal charges.
Sonali is the wife of former NCP corporator Vanraj Andekar, who was murdered on September 1, 2024, in Pune’s Nana Peth area. He was allegedly killed by Ganesh Komkar—the husband of one of Vanraj’s sisters—following a property dispute. A year later, in September 2025, Ganesh Komkar’s 19-year-old son, Ayush, was murdered in an alleged act of revenge.
Bandu Andekar, his son Krushna, Sonali, and Laxmi were among those arrested in the Ayush Komkar murder case. Although they remain in judicial custody, the NCP’s decision to nominate the two women triggered a political firestorm. In a tight contest, Sonali defeated Pratibha Dhangekar, wife of former MLA Ravindra Dhangekar, while Laxmi defeated the BJP’s Rutuja Gadale by a narrow margin. Pradnya Andekar, another relative, thanked voters for their trust and pledged that the family would continue their welfare work for the residents.
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Gauri Lankesh murder accused wins in JalnaIn
In Jalna, Shrikant Pangarkar won Ward No. 13 in the Municipal Corporation elections as an independent candidate, defeating rivals from the BJP and other parties. Notably, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena did not field a candidate in that ward.
Pangarkar’s background and political journey
Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, had briefly joined the Shiv Sena ahead of the November 2024 assembly elections. However, following public outrage, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde put his induction in abeyance.
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Pangarkar previously served as a member of the Jalna Municipal Council with the undivided Shiv Sena between 2001 and 2006. |
