Accused in journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case joins Shinde-led Sena in Jalna
Jalna, Oct 19: Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, which outraged the nation, joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Jalna ahead of assembly polls.
Lankesh was shot dead outside her home in Karnataka capital Bengaluru on September 5, 2017.
A probe by police in Karnataka with assistance from agencies in Maharashtra led to the arrest of several persons.
Pangarkar, a Jalna municipal councillor of the undivided Shiv Sena between 2001and 2006, was arrested in August 2018 and was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4 this year.
After he was denied a ticket by the Shiv Sena in 2011, Pangarkar joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.
He joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Friday in the presence of party leader and former state minister Arjun Khotkar.
"Pangarkar is a former Shiv Sainik and has returned to the party. He has been nominated as the chief of the Jalna assembly poll campaign," Khotkar told reporters.
Khotkar also said he wants to contest the assembly poll from Jalna, but added seat sharing discussions in the Mahayuti (ruling alliance comprising Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP) were still underway.
The seat is held by Congress' Kailash Gorantyal.
Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20, while results will be declared on November 23. The term of the current assembly ends on November 26.
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Eknath Shinde resigns, asked to act as caretaker chief minister
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday morning met Governor C P Radhakrishnan and tendered his resignation following the results of the assembly elections.
The governor asked Shinde to act as a caretaker chief minister till a new CM is sworn in.
Shinde visited the Raj Bhavan along with deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
The term of the Maharashtra assembly ends on November 26.
Despite the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP securing a massive victory, winning 230 seats in the 288-member assembly, consensus has eluded the ruling combine’s leaders so far on who should be the next CM.
