Wardha, Maharashtra (November 20, 2024): Nilesh Karale, a spokesperson for the Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) and a prominent social media figure known as Karale Sir, was allegedly assaulted by BJP workers in Wardha. Karale, known for his educational videos on competitive exam preparation, had been actively campaigning for Sharad Pawar's NCP during the state assembly elections.
The incident occurred in Umri Megha village, where Karale was attacked while returning home. According to Karale, BJP workers stopped him, and the village’s deputy sarpanch, Sachin Kose, assaulted him. A video of the attack has gone viral on social media.
After the assault, Karale, accompanied by supporters of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, went to the Savangi Police Station to file a complaint.
“I did not say a word. The BJP booth workers were present on the main road. Suddenly, the supporters of Pankaj Bhoyar, a BJP candidate, including a man named Sachin Kose, attacked me. Kose has several criminal cases against him. They started assaulting me on the road. BJP workers are acting in such a hooligan manner,” Karale said.
The attack has raised tensions between BJP and Congress workers in the area. BJP candidate Pankaj Bhoyar and Congress candidate Shekhar Shende reportedly confronted each other in the aftermath.
Karale, who hails from a farming family in Wardha's Mandwa village, holds a B.Sc and B.Ed degree. He gained popularity for his guidance to students preparing for competitive exams, especially in the local dialect. He founded Phoenix Academy, which attracted a large number of students. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person classes, Karale shifted to online teaching platforms like YouTube and Zoom.
In 2020, Karale contested as an independent candidate in the Nagpur graduate constituency elections, securing 8,500 votes. He later became involved in campaigning for Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction and led several impactful campaigns during the recent assembly elections.