<p>Thane: A woman whistleblower who exposed the Badlapur school sexual assault case has joined the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Ajit%20Pawar">Ajit Pawar</a>-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ahead of the civic polls in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Maharashtra">Maharashtra</a>.</p>.<p>Sangeeta Chendvankar, who formerly led 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.</p>.<p>Elections to various municipal corporations in the state are scheduled on January 15.</p>.'We are committed to Ambedkarite ideology': BJP leader's 'respect Savarkar' remark roils ally NCP.<p>Chendvankar gained prominence in August 2024 as the primary whistleblower in the Badlapur school case, where two 4-year-old girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a contractual sweeper.</p>.<p>She had played a key role in mobilising the parents and ensuring the matter reached the police and the public.</p>.Municipal corporation elections: NCP, NCP (SP) come together in Pimpri-Chinchwad.<p>Chendvankar later contested the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls from Murbad constituency in Thane district on the MNS ticket but faced defeat.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>"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 <em>PTI</em>.</p>
<p>Thane: A woman whistleblower who exposed the Badlapur school sexual assault case has joined the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Ajit%20Pawar">Ajit Pawar</a>-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ahead of the civic polls in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Maharashtra">Maharashtra</a>.</p>.<p>Sangeeta Chendvankar, who formerly led 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.</p>.<p>Elections to various municipal corporations in the state are scheduled on January 15.</p>.'We are committed to Ambedkarite ideology': BJP leader's 'respect Savarkar' remark roils ally NCP.<p>Chendvankar gained prominence in August 2024 as the primary whistleblower in the Badlapur school case, where two 4-year-old girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a contractual sweeper.</p>.<p>She had played a key role in mobilising the parents and ensuring the matter reached the police and the public.</p>.Municipal corporation elections: NCP, NCP (SP) come together in Pimpri-Chinchwad.<p>Chendvankar later contested the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls from Murbad constituency in Thane district on the MNS ticket but faced defeat.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>"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 <em>PTI</em>.</p>