Shrikant Pangarkar, accused in the 2017 killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, winning a seat as a corporator in the Jalna Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region on Friday.
Pangarkar, contesting as an independent from ward 13, secured 2,661 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Raosaheb Dhoble of the BJP, who received 2,477 votes, according to a poll official.
All major political parties, except Shiv Sena, had fielded candidates against Pangarkar. Ahead of the November 2024 Assembly elections, he briefly joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, but following widespread public criticism, Shinde put his induction on hold.
Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her residence in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017. The killing had triggered widespread outrage.
In August 2018, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested Pangarkar under provisions of the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4, 2024.
Pangarkar had earlier served as a member of the Jalna Municipal Council from 2001 to 2006, when the Shiv Sena was undivided. After being denied a party ticket in 2011, he joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.
Meanwhile, the BJP is heading towards capturing control of the Jalna Municipal Corporation. The BJP is leading in 41 seats in the 65-member Jalna civic body. The BJP and its allies, Shiv Sena and NCP, had contested separately. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and the Congress, had allied for the polls.
Counting of votes is underway for 29 civic bodies across Maharashtra, which went to polls a day earlier.