Maharashtra: Ravindra Dhangekar announces his decision to join Shiv Sena

Pune: Former Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar has declared his intention to join the Shiv Sena, which is headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Dhangekar ended his ten-year affiliation with the Congress in the city on Monday, calling his decision to quit the party an emotional and difficult one in an interview with media here.

Last year, Dhangekar ran for the Assembly from the Kasbapeth seat and the Lok Sabha from the Pune city seat. Two of his Congress comrades, Kamal Vyavhare and Mukhtar Shaikh, ran against him for the Kasbapeth seat. While Mukhtaar withdrew his candidacy under pressure from party leaders, Kamala Vyavhare had also run against him as an independent.

Senior Pune Congress politician Mukhtar Shaikh voiced his worries about the internal dynamics of the party in response to Ravindra Dhangekar’s move. He said that when it comes to delegating tasks, seasoned party workers like himself—who have been committed for more than 40 years—are often disregarded. Leaders who joined the party later, like Dhangekar, are prioritized instead.

This, Shaikh said, was the rationale for their opposition to Dhangekar’s candidacy in the Assembly elections. He called on the senior leadership of the party to reevaluate how they prioritize and reinforce devoted, long-serving members. He claims that the existing practice of giving preference to new members who subsequently quit the party demoralizes senior staff and impairs the party’s standing in politics as a whole.

Dhangekar explained his decision by emphasizing how crucial it is to have authority to successfully meet the requirements of his community. “Power is necessary in a democracy in order to benefit the general populace. I understood after talking with my people and supporters that it was difficult to address their problems without authority,” he stated.

During his time as an MLA, Dhangekar also commended Eknath Shinde for his leadership and for helping to facilitate development efforts in his area. Before making his choice, he said that he had many meetings with Shinde and Minister Uday Samant. “They encouraged me to join their party and work with them for the betterment of the people,” he said.

“We welcome him if he joins the party. It’s good for the Shiv Sena as it’s expanding in Pune,” said Pramod Bhangire, the president of Shivsena Pune City.