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The upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections have taken a dramatic turn with the involvement of Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh. Pangarkar, formerly associated with the undivided Shiv Sena, rejoined the party led by Eknath Shinde in Jalna, Maharashtra. This move has sparked controversy and raised eyebrows in the political arena.
The murder of Gauri Lankesh, a prominent journalist and activist, shook the nation. Her killing, which occurred outside her Bengaluru residence on September 5, 2017, was condemned by several groups and individuals. The investigation, led by the Karnataka police with support from Maharashtra agencies, resulted in the arrest of several individuals, including Pangarkar in August 2018. He was a former municipal councillor from Jalna and had been associated with the undivided Shiv Sena between 2001 and 2006. He joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti after being denied a party ticket in 2011.
After being granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4, Pangarkar rejoined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Friday. The event was attended by senior party leader and former state minister Arjun Khotkar, who announced Pangarkar's appointment as the head of the Jalna assembly poll campaign. Khotkar also expressed his intention to contest the assembly election from the Jalna constituency, though discussions regarding seat sharing within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Shiv Sena, BJP, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, are ongoing.
The current sitting MLA from Jalna is Kailash Gorantyal, a member of the Congress party. The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled to take place on November 20, with results expected on November 23. The term of the existing assembly is set to conclude on November 26. The political landscape of Maharashtra is expected to witness a fierce battle between the Mahayuti alliance and the opposition parties, with the involvement of Pangarkar adding another layer of complexity to the already heated campaign.