Ravindra Dhangekar
{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ravindra Dhangekar
| office = Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
| image =
| predecessor = Mukta Tilak
| successor = Hemant Rasane
| party = Shiv Sena {{small|(10 March 2025-Present)}}
| otherparty = Indian National Congress {{small|(2017-2025)}}
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena {{small|(2006-2017)}}
Shiv Sena {{small|(1997-2006)}}
| constituency1 = Kasba Peth
| termstart = 2 March 2023
| termend = 26 November 2024
}}
Ravindra Hemraj Dhangekar is an Indian National Congress politician from Pune, was a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the Kasba Peth Assembly constituency.{{cite web |title=Kasba Peth bypoll: Who is Ravindra Dhangekar, the Congress candidate who defeated BJP in its bastion? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/kasba-peth-bypoll-who-is-ravindra-dhangekar-the-congress-candidate-who-defeated-bjp-in-its-bastion-8470730/ |website=The Indian Express |date=2 March 2023 |access-date=15 June 2024}} He won the seat in a by-election in March 2023, which was necessitated by the death of the incumbent BJP MLA Mukta Tilak.{{cite web |title=Maharashtra bypoll elections 2023 schedule: Kasba Peth by-election important dates, polling result, counting details |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/maharashtra-bypoll-elections-2023-schedule-kasba-peth-by-election-important-dates-polling-result-counting-details/articleshow/97164337.cms |website=The Times of India |date=23 January 2023 |access-date=15 June 2024}} Dhangekar's victory on a Congress ticket was seen as a significant upset, ending the BJP's 28-year hold on the constituency.{{cite web |title=Kasba Peth bypoll: Congress' Ravindra Dhangekar wins, ends BJP's 28-year reign |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/kasba-peth-bypoll-congress-ravindra-dhangekar-wins-ends-bjp-s-28-year-reign-101677688073282.html |website=Hindustan Times |date=2 March 2023 |access-date=15 June 2024}}
Following his victory in the by-election, Dhangekar was chosen as the Indian National Congress candidate for the Pune Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 general elections. He competed against Murlidhar Mohol of the BJP but was not successful.{{cite web |title=Pune Lok Sabha Election Results 2024 Highlights: BJP's Murlidhar Mohol wins |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/pune-maharashtra-lok-sabha-election-result-live-murlidhar-mohol-ravindra-dhangekar-bjp-congress-winner-loser-live-news/3510334/ |website=Financial Express |date=4 June 2024 |access-date=15 June 2024}}
Early life
Ravindra Hemraj Dhangekar was born in Pune, Maharashtra. He completed his education up to the 8th standard at Motoba School in Nathachiwadi, Daund, Pune, in 1985.{{cite web |title=Dhangekar Ravindra Hemraj - Pune - Maharashtra |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections-2024/maharashtra/pune-constituency/candidate-list/dhangekar-ravindra-hemraj-lok-sabha-candidate |website=India TV News |date=11 May 2024 |access-date=15 June 2024}}{{cite web |title=Pune: Dhangekar Turns Trolls' '8th Pass' Barb into a Badge of Honor |url=https://www.mypunepulse.com/pune-dhangekar-turns-trolls-8th-pass-barb-into-a-badge-of-honor-boasts-of-phd-from-public-mandate/ |website=My Pune Pulse |date=3 April 2024 |access-date=15 June 2024}} Dhangekar hails from the OBC community, which constitutes a significant portion of the population in the Kasba Peth constituency.{{cite web |title=Ravindra Dhangekar Age, Biography, Wife, Result |url=https://diversekhabar.com/ravindra-dhangekar-age-biography-wife-result/ |website=Diverse Khabar |date=18 May 2024 |access-date=15 June 2024}}
Political career
Dhangekar's political career has seen several transitions across different parties.
| class="wikitable"
|+ Political Affiliations ! Year !! Party !! Symbol | ||
| 1997–2006 | Shiv Sena | 50px |
| 2006–2017 | Maharashtra Navnirman Sena | 50px |
| 2017–2025 | Indian National Congress | 25px |
| 10 March 2025 - Present | Shiv Sena | 50px |
=Early Years with Shiv Sena=
Ravindra Dhangekar's political journey began with the Shiv Sena party. He was inspired by the speeches of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and entered politics under the mentorship of senior Shiv Sena leader Deepak Paigude.{{cite web |title=Kasba Peth bypoll: Who is Ravindra Dhangekar, the Congress candidate who defeated BJP in its bastion? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/kasba-peth-bypoll-who-is-ravindra-dhangekar-the-congress-candidate-who-defeated-bjp-in-its-bastion-8470730/ |website=The Indian Express |date=2 March 2023 |access-date=15 June 2024}} Dhangekar was first elected as a corporator in the Pune Municipal Corporation in 1997.{{cite web |title=Kasba Peth bypoll: Who is Ravindra Dhangekar, the Congress candidate who defeated BJP in its bastion? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/kasba-peth-bypoll-who-is-ravindra-dhangekar-the-congress-candidate-who-defeated-bjp-in-its-bastion-8470730/ |website=The Indian Express |date=2 March 2023 |access-date=15 June 2024}}
=Transition to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena=
In 2006, when Raj Thackeray split from the Shiv Sena to form the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Dhangekar, along with Paigude, joined the new party. As an MNS candidate in the 2009 Maharashtra Assembly elections, he contested from the Kasba Peth constituency and gave a tough fight to the BJP's Girish Bapat, losing by a margin of around 8,000 votes. Dhangekar contested the 2014 Assembly elections from Kasba Peth again on an MNS ticket but lost amid the Modi wave.
=Brief independent candidature and joining congress=
Feeling sidelined within the MNS, Dhangekar quit the party in 2017 and briefly contested as an independent in the Pune civic polls with Congress support, defeating BJP heavyweight Ganesh Bidkar. Later in 2017, he officially joined the Indian National Congress party. He aimed to contest the 2019 Assembly elections from Kasba Peth, but the Congress fielded Arvind Shinde instead, leading to a BJP win by Mukta Tilak.
=2023 by-election victory=
Dhangekar's significant achievement came in 2023 when he won the Kasba Peth Assembly by-election on a Congress ticket, ending the BJP's 28-year stronghold in the constituency.{{cite web |title=Kasba Peth bypoll: Congress' Ravindra Dhangekar wins, ends BJP's 28-year reign |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/kasba-peth-bypoll-congress-ravindra-dhangekar-wins-ends-bjp-s-28-year-reign-101677688073282.html |website=Hindustan Times |date=2 March 2023 |access-date=15 June 2024}} His victory was considered a significant upset for the BJP.
=2024 General Elections=
Following his by-election win, the Congress named Dhangekar as its candidate from the Pune Lok Sabha constituency for the 2024 general elections. However, he lost to the BJP's Murlidhar Mohol in the Lok Sabha polls.
=2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Election=
Following his 1 and half year tenure as MLA, he contested the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election from Kasba Peth on a Congress ticket but lost to BJP candidate Hemant Rasane.
== References ==
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Category:Maharashtra MLAs 2019–2024
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Shiv Sena politicians
Category:Maharashtra Navnirman Sena politicians
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Maharashtra