Dhangekar vs. Mohol: MVA Allies Plan Pune Campaign Strategy For Lok Sabha Election

Shivajinagar, 28th March 2024: In a significant development, the partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) held their inaugural collective meeting at the Congress Bhavan on Wednesday. The focal point of discussion centred on the campaign blueprint for Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar, who is set to contest against BJP’s Murlidhar Mohol.

This marked the first joint assembly of the alliance constituents since Dhangekar’s nomination was officially declared last week. The leaders convened to outline the formation of committees across six assembly segments falling under the Pune constituency and the appointment of observers tasked with overseeing the election drive.

Anticipation runs high following Dhangekar’s historic victory in the Kasba Peth bypoll last year, where he defeated BJP’s Hemant Rasne. Sources within the Congress revealed that the party intends to replicate the successful “Kasba bypoll model” during the Lok Sabha campaign, with a concerted effort to engage voters by highlighting the BJP’s shortcomings in fulfilling its 2019 electoral promises.

A senior Congress official remarked, “The Kasba Peth bypolls exposed the fallacy of the BJP’s pledges. Voter disillusionment with the ruling party’s governance was palpable, reflecting in the election outcome. Over the past year, discontentment has only intensified. We intend to launch an assertive campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.”

Another leader emphasized Dhangekar’s broad appeal beyond the confines of Kasba Peth, citing his extensive network of support across the city. Known for his familiarity with local issues, Dhangekar secured a resounding victory over Rasne in the bypoll, amassing a margin of over 11,000 votes.

His grassroots outreach efforts, including home visits and community engagement, proved instrumental in securing votes. It is anticipated that Dhangekar will adopt a similar grassroots-driven approach for the forthcoming elections.

Arvind Shinde, Chief of Congress’ Pune unit, underscored the positive outcome of two key meetings held on Wednesday, focusing on campaign strategy. “The MVA is poised to launch a unified campaign for the Pune constituency,” Shinde affirmed.

Attending the meeting were representatives from Sena (UBT) including Sanjay More and Gajanan Tharkude, and from NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) including Prashant Jagtap and Ankush Kakade.