Veteran Politician Annasaheb Dange Returns to BJP Fold

Annasaheb Dange, former Maharashtra minister, rejoined the BJP after two decades in the NCP. This marks a significant event as he is influential in the Dhangar community. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis welcomed him back, highlighting their past collaboration in the tanker-free campaign in scarcity-hit zones.

Veteran Maharashtra politician Annasaheb Dange, known for his significant influence within the Dhangar community, rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. His return was marked by a warm welcome from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a ceremony held at the BJP office in Mumbai.

Dange's political journey includes a tenure as a minister in the first Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government between 1995 and 1999. However, he spent the last two decades with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). His re-affiliation with the BJP is considered a major political development, especially due to his clout in Maharashtra's western district of Sangli.

At the welcoming ceremony, Fadnavis nostalgically recounted their past efforts in a campaign aimed at providing relief in water-scarce areas. The Chief Minister credited Dange's leadership with having a formative influence on his own political career during his early days in the BJP's youth wing.

(With inputs from agencies.)