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Returned to Shiv Sena on his own: Shinde welcomes former Maharashtra Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar

Before his stint with the Congress, Ravindra Dhangekar was associated with the undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray

Dhangekar said it was his pleasure to return to the Shiv Sena from where he learned public service and politics (Express Photo)

After experiencing back-to-back political setbacks, it was homecoming for former Maharashtra Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar who joined the Shiv Sena on Monday in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Before his stint with the Congress, Dhangekar was associated with the undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray.

Shinde, who formally inducted Dhangekar into the Shiv Sena, said he originally began his political career with the undivided Shiv Sena and served as a Sena corporator in the Pune Municipal Corporation for 10 years. “Dhangekar returned to the Shiv Sena on his own,” said the Deputy Chief Minister.

“Dhangekar is a popular leader in Pune and I have witnessed it myself during the Kasba assembly bypoll. When I was the Chief Minister, I stationed myself in Kasba to ensure the victory of the ally candidate in the bypoll but Dhangekar proved himself by getting elected in a tough situation,” said Shinde adding the former Congress MLA’s entry into the Shiv Sena will strengthen the party in Pune.

Dhangekar said it was his pleasure to return to the Shiv Sena from where he learned public service and politics. “I have been a Shiv Sena leader for 10 years in my political career. I have seen the public service done by Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde and it is close to my way of working for public,” said Dhangekar.

“I have decided to quit the Congress as per the demand of my supporters. It was a good journey with the Congress. I have formed good relations with the Congress leaders. I have nothing against anyone in Congress,” said Dhangekar before heading for Thane to meet Shinde.
State industries minister and Shiv Sena MLA Uday Samant said his party welcomed Dhangekar into the Shiv Sena. “I had stated that many former legislators will join the Shiv Sena. Two from Konkan, including Rajan Salvi, have already joined. Now, Dhangekar is joining. Two more former legislators from Pune will join soon,” he said.

“Dhangekar was originally a Shiv Sena leader who entered politics under the leadership of Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray. We wanted him to rejoin Shiv Sena,” said a Shiv Sena supporter.

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Dhangekar met Shinde a few times in the past few months and Samant a few days ago but had ruled out leaving the Congress, stating that his visit was for personal and not political reasons.

Dhangekar was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as a Congress candidate from the Kasba Peth constituency in the bypoll held in 2023 where he defeated the BJP in its bastion. However, he lost the seat in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls to BJP’s Hemant Rasane.
Before that, Dhangekar faced defeat in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 from Pune where he lost the polls to BJP’s Murlidhar Mohol.

Dhangekar was first elected as a PMC corporator on a ticket of the undivided Shiv Sena. He followed Raj Thackeray after the formation of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and continued to get elected to the civic body. In 2017, he joined the Congress after being sidelined by the MNS.

The Congress has failed to win any assembly seat in Pune in last three elections except for the Kasba bypoll in 2023, when Dhangekar won the seat. The steady downfall of Congress in its bastion Pune began in 2007 when it lost power in PMC.

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The Shiv Sena too has been struggling for long in city politics and had no legislator elected from the city in the last three elections. It did not contest any seat in Pune in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections due to seat sharing arrangement with alliance partners NCP and BJP.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune, a role that reflects his seniority and editorial Authority. He is a highly specialized journalist whose work demonstrates significant Expertise in the critical areas of urban development, governance, and sustainability, often linking policy to its on-the-ground impact across Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Editorial Role: As an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Ajay Jadhav contributes to the editorial direction and maintains high standards of Trustworthiness and quality in his reporting. Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on the intersection of infrastructure, politics, and social development, with expertise in: Infrastructure and Civic Issues: Provides in-depth coverage of crucial development and urban governance topics. His work includes reporting on the glaring contrast between planned infrastructure projects (like private helipads) and the lack of basic facilities (schools and hospitals) in politically significant areas, highlighting accountability gaps. Politics and Governance: Consistently reports on political developments, scrutinizing decision-making that affects public life and development initiatives in Maharashtra. Sustainable Development & Environment: Demonstrates a commitment to responsible development by reporting on initiatives that successfully protect the environment while ensuring essential infrastructure development. Investigative and Policy Impact: National Impact: Ajay has written notable research articles on Conservancy staff which achieved a nationwide impact by directly contributing to the framing of policies aimed at improving the working conditions of waste-handling laborers. This demonstrates his capacity for impactful, evidence-based journalism. Additional Interests Personal Engagement: His background as a trekker and sports enthusiast suggests a keen personal interest in the environment and outdoor spaces, which likely informs his detailed and passionate reporting on sustainable development and civic issues. Ajay Jadhav's sustained focus on governance, his track record of high-impact policy-shaping research, and his critical eye for infrastructure gaps establish him as a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis in Pune and Maharashtra. ... Read More

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