Pune: A video showing Maharashtra's Higher and Technical Education Minister, Chandrakant Patil, being felicitated by Gaja Marne, a notorious gangster from Pune, has stirred controversy.

The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows Patil receiving a bouquet from Marne during a Dahi Handi celebration in the Kothrud area of Pune.

This incident has sparked a political storm, with opposition parties seizing the opportunity to criticize Patil. The video has raised questions about Patil's decision to accept honors from a person with a notorious criminal background.

The fallout from this event could impact his preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in the Kothrud constituency, where he plans to run.

Gaja Marne, notorious for his criminal activities in Pune, has several serious charges against him, including murder.

He has served time in both Yerawada and Taloja jails, and his gang has been prosecuted under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). His recent roadshow from Taloja Jail to Pune also led to multiple cases being filed against him.

The felicitation has provided Patil's political adversaries with new ammunition. They have raised concerns about his association with Marne, further heating up the political environment in Maharashtra.

This incident follows a similar controversy involving a viral photo of Marne with Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar and MP Nilesh Lanke, which had already stirred public debate.

With the political atmosphere charged, all eyes are now on how this incident will affect Chandrakant Patil's political future and the upcoming elections.