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Day after meeting Eknath Shinde, ex-Pune MP Ravindra Dhangekar clarifies, ‘not leaving Congress’

Former Pune MP Ravindra Dhangekar said he met Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai in connection with some work.

“I met the deputy chief minister yesterday in connection with some work,” Dhangekar said. (Express Archive Photo/ Arul Horizon)

A day after he met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde in Mumbai, triggering speculation of his possible exit from the Congress, former Pune MP Ravindra Dhangekar on Friday denied any such move.

“No, I am not leaving the Congress…If I had to leave the Congress, I would not hide it. I will say it openly,” Dhangekar told The Indian Express on Friday.

“I met the deputy chief minister yesterday in connection with some work,” he said. When asked about the work, Dhangekar shot back, “I have a big list. Do you want to know all of it?”

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The Shiv Sena has reportedly launched ‘Operation Tiger’ to rope in leaders from the Congress, the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) into its fold with senior party leader Uday Samant being entrusted with the task.

Dhangekar has been sulking ever since he lost the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. After winning the Kasba Assembly seat in 2023, Dhangekar had infused life into the crestfallen Congress rank and file. Since then, the Congress has been banking on him to uplift the party morale in Pune where its performance has been on a downward trend.

Congress leader Mohan Joshi, who rushed to Dhangekar’s residence on Friday, also maintained that he would not quit the party. “He had some work with Shinde and that is why he met him,” he said.

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Eknath Shinde