Maharashtra civic polls: Badlapur school sexual assault case whistleblower joins Ajit Pawar-led NCP

THANE: A woman whistleblower who exposed the Badlapur school sexual assault case has joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ahead of Maharashtra’s civic polls. Sangeeta Chendvankar, formerly head of the women’s wing of Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Badlapur, was inducted into the NCP at a function in the town on Tuesday. Elections to various municipal corporations in the state are scheduled for January 15.Chendvankar rose to prominence in August 2024 as the main whistleblower in the Badlapur school case, in which two 4-year-old girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a contractual sweeper. She played a crucial role in mobilising the parents and ensuring the case reached both the police and the public. Later, Chendvankar contested the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections from the Murbad constituency in Thane district on an MNS ticket but was defeated.Speaking to reporters after joining the NCP on Tuesday, Chendvankar said, "I wanted to serve the citizens in the best possible manner, which I felt I could not do to my satisfaction recently. I chose the NCP family where I believe I can perform better." Welcoming her, local NCP functionary Ashish Damle described her as a "Ranaragini" (warrior woman) of Badlapur."Sangeeta has consistently fought against injustice and taken up critical citizen issues. Her entry is a major asset to our party as we work towards the town's development as a team," Damle told PTI.