Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar defended the Nationalist Congress Party's decision to award tickets to candidates with alleged criminal backgrounds for civic polls. Responding to BJP criticism, Pawar stated that individuals are not guilty until proven, referencing his own experience with corruption allegations. He highlighted that candidates like Sonali and Laxmi Andekar, accused in a murder case, are running on NCP tickets through an alliance, asserting that he does not support such elements but believes in the legal process.