Gauri Lankesh Murder Accused Reinduction In Shiv Sena Row: Eknath Shinde Revokes Appointment

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has revoked the appointment of Shrikant Pangarkar, a controversial figure accused in the murder case of journalist Gauri Lankesh, to the Shiv Sena party. Pangarkar's induction into the party on Friday sparked widespread outrage, prompting Shinde to take swift action.

Pangarkar was appointed as the party's poll campaign in-charge for the Jalna Assembly seat by former minister Arjun Khotkar, who is claimed to be Pangarkar's political mentor. However, Shinde's order on Sunday declared all orders issued at the district level in Jalna as "null and void."

Despite the reversal, Pangarkar claimed he never left the party and had held various positions since 2014. He denied any involvement in Lankesh's murder, stating that all allegations against him were false. Pangarkar has a history with the Shiv Sena, joining the party in 1996 and rising through the ranks. He won two civic polls in Jalna before quitting in 2011 to join the Hindu Janajagruti Samithi, a right-wing organization.

Pangarkar's reentry into the Shiv Sena was met with backlash due to his controversial past. His strong pro-Hindutva image and clout in Jalna city may have contributed to his reappointment, but then the party's decision to distance itself from Pangarkar suggests a recognition of the gravity of the allegations against him.

Notably, Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her home in Karnataka capital Bengaluru on September 5, 2017.

The Maharashtra assembly polls are scheduled for November 20, and the results will be declared on November 23. The current assembly's term ends on November 26.