India, Jan. 1 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday gave a ticket to Pratibha Chorghe, the wife of noted criminal Rohidas Chorghe, from the Katraj-Ambegaon ward.

The move has revived the debate on the criminalisation of civic elections in Pune, especially after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was recently criticised for fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds. Pawar's party had given tickets to alleged members of the Andekar gang, including Laxmi Andekar and Sonali Andekar, both of whom are currently lodged in jail, drawing sharp reactions from political opponents and civil society groups.

BJP leaders refused to comment on the development.

Rohidas Chorghe, a resident of Velhe taluka, has a long crimi...