In a dramatic turn of events, incarcerated gangster Suryakant alias Bandu Andekar, along with two female family members, filed nomination papers to contest the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections on Saturday. However, their bids hit an immediate roadblock as election officials declared their submission incomplete and rejected it.
Nomination Drama at Bhavani Peth Ward Office
The trio—70-year-old Bandu Andekar, his 60-year-old sister-in-law Lakshmi Udaykant Andekar, and 35-year-old daughter-in-law Sonali Vanraj Andekar—were brought under heavy police security from the Yerwada Central Prison to the PMC's Bhavani Peth ward office. Their faces were covered, but Bandu Andekar managed to raise a handcuffed hand in a victory sign. He shouted slogans proclaiming his candidacy and denying his gangster tag, stating "neki ka kam, Andekar ka naam" and "Andekarana mat, Vikasala mat."
Their lawyer, Amrapali Dhiwar, confirmed they filed as independent candidates. However, the election officer for the ward, Kalyani Pandhare, clarified that the forms were not accepted due to incompleteness. "There are three more days for submission of nomination forms. They can file nominations again during this period," Pandhare stated, leaving the door open for a corrected submission.
Court Permission and a Grisly Family Feud
The nomination attempt followed a special court's conditional approval earlier in December. The court permitted them to contest but barred them from holding rallies or giving speeches during the nomination process. All three are currently jailed in connection with the high-profile murder of 18-year-old Ayush Komkar, who was Bandu Andekar's grandson.
The case is rooted in a violent intra-family feud. Bandu's elder son, Vanraj Andekar, an NCP corporator, was shot dead near his home in Nana Peth in September 2024. In a suspected act of revenge for Vanraj's killing, his nephew Ayush Komkar was gunned down in Bhavani Peth on September 5, 2025. Police arrested 16 people, including Bandu, his son Krushna, Lakshmi, and Sonali, for Ayush's murder.
The Andekar Family's Political Legacy in Pune
The Andekar family's foray into Pune's political arena is not new. While Bandu allegedly controlled the gang's operations, his brothers Udaykant and Ramakant served as corporators in the PMC. The family's political peak came in 1998 when Vatsala Andekar alias Akka became the mayor of Pune. Bandu's wife, Rajashree Andekar, also won civic elections twice in 2007 and 2012.
The family has historically maintained links with major parties like the Congress and the NCP. Vanraj Andekar's 2017 civic poll victory came on an NCP ticket. The current attempt to enter the electoral fray from behind bars marks a controversial new chapter in the family's long and turbulent association with Pune's politics and crime.
