In a major political shift, former MLA Ravindra Dhangekar from Pune's Kasba Assembly constituency has resigned from the Congress party. Announcing his decision at a press conference in Pune today, Dhangekar strongly hinted at joining the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and stated that he would be meeting Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde later in the day.
While addressing the press, Dhangekar clarified that his resignation was not due to any personal dissatisfaction with the Congress but due to the challenges of working outside of power. "My displeasure is not with the Congress party, but work does not get done unless you are in power. I have not asked for anything from Eknath Shinde, and I am saddened to leave the Congress," he stated.
However, he also confirmed that he would not be meeting Eknath Shinde today but left open the possibility of a political switch, saying, "Whatever decision is taken, it will be decided in the evening."
Dhangekar expressed gratitude towards Congress, acknowledging their support during his candidacy. "Congress trusted me and gave me the candidature. Their workers stood by me. Leaving the party was a tough decision, but I took it after discussing it with my workers and voters," he said. He also revealed that Eknath Shinde and Uday Samant had reached out to him multiple times, urging him to join their camp.
"Shinde had spoken about me before, and Uday Samant had called me too. They told me to work with them. We are going to meet today, and then we will finalize the next step," he added. Dhangekar's exit from the congress marks yet another blow to the Congress party in Maharashtra, where political shifts have been frequent in recent months. His decision to align with Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) could further impact the Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena (UBT) alliance ahead of the upcoming civic elections.