Mumbai:

The Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has stayed the appointment of Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, to any post in the party in Jalna district.

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, Shrikant Pangarkar joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Friday in the presence of party leader and former state minister Arjun Khotkar.

Arjun Khotkar earlier said that Shrikant Pangarkar, a former Shiv Sainik, has returned to the party and has been nominated as the chief of the Jalna assembly poll campaign.

A statement from the Shiv Sena on Sunday said that if Shrikant Pangarkar has been given any party post in Jalna district, the decision has been stayed.

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

A probe by police in Karnataka with assistance from agencies in Maharashtra had led to the arrest of several persons.

Shrikant Pangarkar, a Jalna municipal councillor of the undivided Shiv Sena between 2001and 2006, was arrested in August 2018 and was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4 this year.

After Shrikant Pangarkar was denied a ticket by the Shiv Sena in 2011, he joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.

Arjun Khotkar earlier said he wants to contest the assembly poll from Jalna, but added that seat-sharing discussions in the Mahayuti (ruling alliance comprising Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP) were underway.

The seat is held by Congress’ Kailash Gorantyal.

The Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20, while results will be declared on November 23.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Some workers of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena burnt the photo of National Conference leader Omar Abdullah in Thane, nearly 23 km from Mumbai, for opposing the construction of Maharashtra Bhavan on a 2.5-acre land in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam.

The workers first tried to burn an effigy of Mr Abdullah but were stopped by the police after which they burnt his photo. They also raised slogans against him.

Recently, the Maharashtra cabinet approved the purchase of land for the bhavan in Budgam. The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, however, said last week that if his government comes to power, he would have the deal relooked.

“The Eknath Shinde government proposed the bhavan in Kashmir for tourism point of view, so that people from Maharashtra can go there and can be assisted there. But, Omar Abdullah has opposed it and which is why we have taken to the streets,” said Rahul Londhe, Eknath Shinde camp spokesperson.

He further warned that if need be, “the workers will go to Kashmir and throw shoes at Omar Abdullah”.

Mr Londhe also slammed Uddhav Thackeray who is an ally to Omar Abdullah under the Opposition’s INDIA bloc alliance.

Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande warned that Mr Abdullah will not be allowed to enter Maharashtra. “Why is Omar Abdullah opposing the Maharashtra Bhavan? Omar Abdullah studied in Mumbai when the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was violent. It is Maharashtra where he stayed and completed his graduation. Has he forgotten that?” said Ms Kayande.

She also said that if he “threatens us, we will ensure that you do not enter Maharashtra.”