Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar has once again stood by his party's controversial decision to support the candidatures of family members of known gangsters in the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections. The move has sparked significant political debate in the city.
Pawar's Justification: Separating Crime from Family
On Saturday, Ajit Pawar reiterated his stance, arguing that a criminal's family should not be blamed for the actions of one individual. "There is a difference between a criminal and his family. If a criminal commits a murder, how can his family be held responsible for his crime?" Pawar questioned. He added a caveat, stating, "I want to iterate that if someone is found guilty, I will not support such a person." This clarification aims to address criticism that his party is indirectly endorsing criminal elements by backing their relatives.
The Controversial Candidates and Alliance Details
The controversy stems from specific candidate selections. The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, has fielded Gangster Gajanan Marne's wife from the Bavdhan-Bhusari Colony ward. Furthermore, the party has entered into an electoral alliance with the Republican Party of India (Kharat) faction.
Through this alliance, two relatives of another gangster, Bandu Andekar, have received tickets. Andekar's sister-in-law Laxmi and daughter-in-law Sonali are contesting from the Raviwar Peth-Nana Peth ward. Interestingly, both are using the NCP's iconic 'clock' symbol for their campaigns, despite being RPI (Kharat) candidates.
Explaining this symbol-sharing arrangement, Ajit Pawar said, "Sachin Kharat, the chief of RPI (Kharat), requested for using our party's symbol because their new symbol would not reach voters." This practical electoral consideration has further fueled the political firestorm.
Political Backlash and the Road Ahead
The decision has not gone unchallenged. Earlier this week, Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol, who also serves as the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) in-charge for Pune district, publicly criticized the NCP's strategy. Mohol's condemnation highlights the BJP's attempt to frame the issue as a matter of ethical governance and to question the NCP's commitment to keeping criminal influence out of civic politics.
As the Pune Municipal Corporation polls approach, this issue is set to become a central point of contention. Ajit Pawar's defense focuses on the principle of individual culpability versus collective family blame. However, his political opponents are likely to continue attacking the move, framing it as a dangerous normalization of criminal networks in local governance. The electoral outcome will reveal how Pune's voters weigh this complex ethical and political argument.
