Special Correspondent
Pune: Ahead of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s birthday, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena is preparing for a major political shake-up in Pune. There is strong speculation in political circles that former Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar and former Shiv Sena MLA Mahadev Babar are set to join the Shinde faction.
This development is seen as a significant blow to the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction). Senior party leader and former MLA Mahadev Babar has officially joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena today. His decision raises further questions about the leadership of the Thackeray faction.
Mahadev Babar has been an influential leader in Pune. He won the Hadapsar Assembly seat for Shiv Sena in the 2004 and 2009 elections. However, he faced defeats in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. For the past few months, Babar was reportedly unhappy with the direction of the Thackeray faction and its political future. Eventually, he placed his trust in Eknath Shinde’s leadership and formally joined the Shinde group today.
Meanwhile, former Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar met Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at ‘Varsha,’ the official residence in Mumbai. This meeting has triggered speculation that Dhangekar may soon join the Shinde faction.
Dhangekar was an MLA from the Kasba Peth constituency and gained prominence after defeating BJP candidate Hemant Rasane in the 2023 by-election. However, he lost the seat in the 2024 Assembly elections.
With Mahadev Babar’s defection, the question now arises: Will more disgruntled leaders leave the Thackeray faction? And what will be Ravindra Dhangekar’s next move? All eyes are now on the unfolding political developments.
