Jailed Andekar Family Women Win Pune Civic Polls from Prison in Murder Case
Two women from the notorious Andekar family, currently imprisoned in connection with a murder case, have secured victory in the Pune Municipal Corporation elections. They contested and won from behind bars, marking a dramatic political development in the city.
Victory from Yerwada Jail
Sonali Vanraj Andekar, aged 35, and Lakshmi Udaykant Andekar, aged 60, both candidates of the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, emerged victorious from ward number 23. The remarkable aspect of their win is their current status as inmates at Yerwada Central Prison.
Both women face charges related to the murder of 18-year-old Ayush Komkar, who happened to be the grandson of gangster Suryakant alias Bandu Andekar. Sonali is Bandu's daughter-in-law while Lakshmi is his sister-in-law. All three remain lodged in the same prison facility as the legal proceedings continue.
Close Electoral Battles
The election results revealed tightly contested races. Sonali Andekar managed to secure 13,819 votes, defeating Pratibha Dhangekar, wife of prominent Shiv Sena politician Ravindra Dhangekar, who received 10,590 votes. BJP candidate Anuradha Manche finished third with 10,295 votes in ward number 23(b).
Lakshmi Andekar's victory came by an even narrower margin. She obtained 12,641 votes, defeating BJP's Rutuja Gadale by just 141 votes. Gadale secured 12,500 votes in the closely fought contest.
In a poignant subplot, Ayush Komkar's mother Kalyani Komkar contested against Lakshmi Andekar to protest her son's killing. However, she received only 282 votes, suffering a decisive defeat.
Controversial Campaign and Family History
The election campaign sparked significant controversy due to the candidates' incarceration and criminal backgrounds. Despite this, Ajit Pawar's NCP extended complete support to the Andekar family throughout the electoral process.
Bandu Andekar himself attempted to file nomination papers while being escorted from prison under heavy police security on December 27. His incomplete nomination was eventually rejected, but not before he made headlines by shouting slogans and making victory signs despite being restrained with ropes.
The Andekar family has maintained political influence in Pune's Raviwar Peth and Nana Peth areas for over three decades. Their political journey began in the 1990s, with several family members serving as corporators and even one becoming Pune's mayor in 1998.
Violent Family Feud Background
The current legal troubles stem from a violent family feud. Bandu's elder son Vanraj Andekar, who was Sonali's husband, won the 2017 civic elections on an NCP ticket. He was shot dead near his residence in September 2024.
In what police describe as revenge for Vanraj's killing, Ayush Komkar was shot dead in September 2025. This led to the arrest of 16 people including Bandu, his son Krushna, Lakshmi, and Sonali. The police invoked the stringent MCOCA in four cases related to the gang and seized numerous properties and bank accounts.
Campaign from Prison
Despite their incarceration, Sonali and Lakshmi ran an effective campaign. Their supporters distributed pamphlets invoking Vanraj Andekar's name with the appeal that voters should ensure his sacrifice was not in vain. The family also leveraged social media platforms extensively to reach voters.
Other NCP candidates from the same ward, Aniket Kothavale and Khan Shahbaz Mohammad Arif, lost their elections to BJP candidates. This makes the Andekar women's victory even more noteworthy as they succeeded where their party colleagues failed.
The election results demonstrate the enduring political influence of the Andekar family in their traditional strongholds, despite ongoing legal challenges and incarceration of key members. Their victory from prison raises questions about political candidacy standards and the intersection of crime and politics in urban Maharashtra.
