Pune: Fadnavis says criminals belong in jail, not municipal corporation

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has strongly criticised political parties for fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds in Pune municipal elections 2026 questioning the contradiction between promises of crimefree governance and the reality of ticket distribution reported news agency ANIlsquoKoyta gangrsquo reference highlights contradiction in crimefree promisesReferring to repeated assurances about eliminating gangs like the Koyta gang Fadnavis said supporting or nominating criminals was absolutely wrong and asserted that even if such candidates win elections they would ultimately face jail not positions in the municipal corporationPune has a population of approximately 6 lakhs Why was it necessary to give tickets to people with criminal backgrounds as candidates Everyone says and believes that crime should be eradicated I have heard many speeches where it was said that the Koyta gang would be eliminated from Pune and crime would be rooted out But the same people who made these statements are now giving tickets to criminals and even speaking in their support This is absolutely wrong said Devendra Fadnavis reported ANIlsquoCriminalsrsquo place is in jail not the municipal corporationrsquo says CMI think the people of Pune will not accept this at all In this election I had decided not to make any personal comments but when such issues come up the Home Minister in me asks What is going on On one hand you say that crime should be eliminated on the other hand you give tickets to people with criminal backgrounds I want to make one thing absolutely clear even if a criminal wins the election his place will not be in the municipal corporation his place will be in jail the Maharashtra CM added reported ANISanjay Raut targets BJP and NCP over ticket distribution to alleged lsquogoonsrsquoInterestingly this comes after Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut said that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and the Nationalist Congress Party NCP would have given tickets to Dawood Ibrahims relatives if they had met himWhile addressing a public rally he said that the Mahayuti cant win elections without hooliganismlsquoPune has become a city of goonsrsquo alleges RautRaut argued that Pune once known for its beauty is now known as a city of goons He further alleged that the Mahayuti alliance cannot win Pune municipal elections 2026 without hooliganismPune was once a very beautiful city but today it is known as a city of goons Whether it is the BJP or Ajit Pawars party there is hardly any gang whose relatives have not been given election tickets by these parties I once said that if these people had met Dawood they would have given tickets to his brother or relatives including Chhota Shakeel and Chhota Rajan These people cannot win elections without hooliganism Raut said reported ANIMaharashtra civic polls to be held on January 15The State Election Commission in Maharashtra has announced elections to 29 municipal corporations across the state including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC Pune Municipal Corporation PMC and PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporation PCMC Polling will be held on January 15 with counting scheduled for January 16With inputs from ANI