Pune: After Truce With BJP, Dhangekar Again Issues Challenge; Shiv Sena (Shinde) Begins Solo Push for PMC Polls

Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 17th November 2025: Days after a brief truce between the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) over the HND Jain boarding controversy, political tensions have resurfaced in the city. Former MLA and Shiv Sena (Shinde) city chief Ravindra Dhangekar has declared that the party is preparing to contest the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections independently—posing a fresh challenge to the BJP’s “Mission 125” campaign.

The conflict began when Dhangekar targeted Union Minister of State Muralidhar Mohol and the BJP over the Jain boarding case, prompting senior BJP leaders to raise the issue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde subsequently advised Dhangekar to adopt a calm stance, though he also extended his support to him. The matter eventually cooled down, offering temporary relief to the BJP.

However, Dhangekar has now reignited political debate by announcing that Shiv Sena (Shinde) is preparing to field candidates in all 165 PMC wards. His statement has triggered fresh discussions in Pune’s political circles, particularly due to his strong organisational network and cross-party connections built during his stints with the Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Congress.

In the 2017 PMC elections, the then-unified Shiv Sena had won 10 seats. Since then, the breakup of the party and subsequent political realignments have left the Shinde-led faction with only one corporator—city president Pramod (Nana) Bhangire. The remaining former corporators have moved to the Congress, BJP or the Shiv Sena (Thackeray) faction.

With Dhangekar taking over as the metropolitan chief, several local leaders are reportedly reconnecting with the party. He has already begun assessing potential candidates across wards, focusing on youth and educated individuals. Party leaders say the Shiv Sena (Shinde) will not lag behind in the candidate selection process and has started groundwork for a full-fledged contest.

The final decision on whether the party will contest the elections independently or as part of the grand alliance will be taken by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. But insiders say preparations for a solo fight are already underway, signalling a possible shift in alliance dynamics ahead of the crucial civic polls.