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This is an archive article published on February 19, 2017

Kasba Peth-Somwar Peth: A contest between two heavyweights

In the past, Dhangekar has won the civic elections four times in a row. Initially a member of the Shiv Sena, Dhangekar, a Raj Thackeray loyalist, later joined the MNS.

(Left) Ravindra Dhangekar and Ganesh Bidkar (Left) Ravindra Dhangekar and Ganesh Bidkar

In this panel, located in the heart of the city, the candidates to watch out for are BJP leader Ganesh Bidkar and former MNS corporator Ravindra Dhangekar, who is contesting as an Independent sponsored by the Congress.

In the past, Dhangekar has won the civic elections four times in a row. Initially a member of the Shiv Sena, Dhangekar, a Raj Thackeray loyalist, later joined the MNS. He has won the last two civic elections on a MNS ticket with a clean majority.

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Right before the civic elections, Dhangekar left the MNS and joined the Congress. While the BJP had its eyes on him, Bapat and Bidkar’s opposition to his induction in the party made Dhangekar settle for Congress at the last moment. However, failure to submit party documents on time has forced him to contest as an Independent candidate.

On the other hand, Bidkar is a senior BJP leader who has headed the party in the PMC. In the 2012 elections, he had defeated former mayor and NCP candidate Mohansingh Rajpal. Bidkar was also elected the chief of the PMC’s Standing Committee. To maintain its presence in the panel, the MNS has fielded party loyalist Rahul Tikone against Bidkar and Dhangekar.

Chandan Haygunde is an assistant editor with The Indian Express with 15 + years of experience in covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has been associated with The Indian Express since 2007. Chandan has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He has done in-depth reporting on the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and hearings of the ‘Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry’. ... Read More


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