Kasba's newly-elected MLA Ravindra Dhangekar meets former boss Uddhav Thackeray

Days after meeting NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Kasba's newly-elected MLA Ravindra Dhangekar on Wednesday met his former boss Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree in Mumbai's Bandra. 

For the uninitiated, Dhangekar is a former Shiv Sena worker who entered politics because of Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. Known as a known loyalist of Raj Thackeray, during his days in the Sena, he later joined him in the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). However, in 2017, Dhangekar left the MNS, after feeling isolated in the party and joined Congress.

Taking to Twitter, Dhangekar informed about the meeting with Thackeray at Matoshree. I met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today. I started my political and social journey with Sena and I am overwhelmed by the respect I received at Matoshree today. 

While speaking to reporters, Uddhav Thackeray said, "I'm glad that Ravindra Hemraj Dhangekar has become an MLA from Congress. The Kasba seat which was the traditional seat of the Bhartiya Janta Party was won by Congress MLA Dhangekar under the leadership of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)."

The Congress-Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate Ravindra Dhangekar won the Kasbapeth Assembly bypolls with a margin of over 11,000 votes on Thursday.

He defeated his nearest rival, the BJP's Hemant Rasane -- who conceded defeat -- even as the official announcement is expected soon.

Dhangekar's victory is considered a political setback for the BJP, as the Congress stormed and bagged its bastion, Kasbapeth. The seat was BJP's stronghold in Maharashtra's Pune district as it was in power in Kasba Peth constituency for 28 years.

The victory of Congress in Kasba is significant as it was the first direct contest between the ruling BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the opposing MVA after the change of the state government in June last year.