4 min readMumbaiMar 2, 2023 03:35 PM IST
First published on: Mar 2, 2023 at 03:35 PM IST
In a major setback to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar Thursday defeated the BJP’s Hemant Rasane by over 10,000 votes in a closely-fought contest in its bastion of Kasba Assembly constituency.
As celebrations raged, Dhangekar said his victory is the loss of BJP’s tactics of polarising people. “It is the victory of voters as they had taken the responsibility to get me elected. I will work hard for the people of my constituency and live up to the confidence they have shown in me,” he said.
His wife Pratibha Dhangekar, said that the politics of polarisation practiced by the BJP had irked the people of Kasba Peth and shifted them in the Congress’s favour.
The victory also found a mention during the ongoing Budget Session when Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole announced the election result in the House and told the Speaker, “Now you will have to make a good arrangement for him to sit in the Assembly.”
In response, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took a jibe at the Congress and said, “I congratulate you for the victory. Just like we need to introspect a little [for Kasba Peth], you also will need to introspect a little [after Chinchwad assembly results].”
Fadnavis added, “The only question is, it has now come to a point where you get one victory and you feel the need to stand up in the Assembly and announce it. Three states had elections and Congress is nowhere to be seen. Some you need to introspect with us.”
Outside the Assembly, Patole further said, “Everyone witnessed how the entire state machinery was used by the government to defeat Dhangekar.” He added that the people of Pune have also shown the ruling party that money cannot buy them votes.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray called Dhangekar’s victory a “victory of the people”. “The BJP needs to introspect if the gaddari (treason) was right or wrong and if it is helping them or damaging them. The people could not accept the gaddari and lowly politics of BJP and hence they gave this decision,” he said, referring to the rebellion of Shiv Sena MLAs last year led by now Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said that people showed their approval for the Congress’ work by supporting its candidate in a constituency that was considered a BJP bastion. “The kind of politics BJP is doing is worrisome. I am of the view that all like-minded secular parties should join hands and contest elections together. We have to consolidate our alliances to fight the BJP,” he said.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan also credited the Maha Vikas Aghadi, calling the win the “combined efforts of the alliance”.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the bypoll results have show how the “Congress-NCP made BJP sweat, despite power in its hands”.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar said Dhangekar’s victory proves that voters cannot be taken for granted. “The results have shown that if three parties of the MVA stick together and chose deserving candidates then achieving success is possible,” he said.
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that unlike the Congress and NCP, the BJP does not treat elections as a “medium to get power to make money”, adding that they seek mandate based on good governance.
“Even if we win, there is no reason to get overjoyed. Even if we face setback, there is no reason to be demoralised. We will definitely instrospect about where we went wrong and what needs to be done. We have to get back for poll preparations for 2024,” he said.
Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar and his supporters celebrate his victory in the Kasba Peth bypoll. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre) 
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