KALYAN: A controversy has erupted in Kalyan as the Congress has appointed a murder accused, Jaydeep Sanap, as the party president of one of the blocks in the locality. Sanap has been released on bail in the 2016 murder case of Republican Party of India leader Vishal Pagare.Opposition parties in the city objected to the Congress naming Sanap as the party's B block president. They said that the Congress had inducted a criminal who is an accused in the killing of a Dalit leader. Some leaders within the party too are not happy with the party's decision as they feel this move will cost them their Dalit voter base in the upcoming elections.When asked about Sanap's appointment, Congress's Kalyan district president Sachin Pote defended the decision, "He is an old Congress worker and allegations against him are yet to be proved in the court. Till the charges are not proved, we cannot say he is a murderer. The BJP has more criminals in its fold than the Congress."On February 15, 2016, Pagare was brutally attacked and killed by a mob of around 25 people over an argument on mawa price. Mawa is a milk-based item usually used to make sweets. Following the incident, the police arrested three people for plotting the murder-Lakhan Ram Avtar Singh Khushwaha, Ravindra Ram Avtar Singh Khuswaha and Sanap.

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