Shrikant Pangarkar, accused in the high-profile murder case of journalist Gauri Lankesh, has joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction in Jalna. His reentry into the party comes just weeks before the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, set for November 20, with results expected on November 23. Gauri Lankesh was tragically shot dead outside her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017, an incident that sparked nationwide outrage. The subsequent investigation, conducted by Karnataka police with support from Maharashtra agencies, led to multiple arrests, including Pangarkar’s in August 2018.
Pangarkar, a former Shiv Sena councillor from 2001 to 2006, was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4 this year, just days before his return to the party. His political trajectory shifted in 2011 after being denied a Shiv Sena ticket, leading him to join the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti. At a press conference, Shiv Sena leader and former state minister Arjun Khotkar confirmed Pangarkar’s reinstatement, announcing him as the head of the Jalna assembly poll campaign.
Khotkar, who is also interested in contesting the election from Jalna, noted that seat-sharing talks between the ruling alliance—comprising Shiv Sena, BJP, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP—are still ongoing. The Jalna constituency, currently represented by Congress MLA Kailash Gorantyal, has become a focal point for all parties as they gear up for the crucial November elections,