Why Maharashtra BJP has opened arms to take back a 90-yr-old leader, barbs and all
The 90-year-old, who had left the BJP in 2002 after complaining of being 'sidelined' within the party, is part of an older generation of party leaders with a strong connection to the ground, having worked with the Jana Sangh and then built the party. His compatriots talk of him cycling several miles every day to reach out to people and recruit them.
In the 80s, when the BJP was just growing, party ideologue Vasantrao Bhagwat conceptualised the MADHAV strategy – acronym in Marathi for the Mali, Dhangar and Vanjari OBC communities – to create a base for the organisation. The Congress was virtually unchallenged in Maharashtra till then, with its firm support base among the Marathas, Dalits and tribals.
However, soon, the MADHAV framework paid off. Along with Gopinath Munde, Suryabhan Wahadne, N S Pharande, Dange took centre stage in state politics and spread the BJP's message. It helped that all these leaders were from OBC communities, with Dhange belonging to the Dhangar community himself.
The BJP came to power in Maharashtra for the first time in 1995-1999 in alliance with the Shiv Sena. Dange was made Cabinet minister and allocated the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj ministries.
In the 1999 Assembly polls, the Sena-BJP alliance lost, and a Congress-NCP government led by Vilasrao Deshmukh came to power.
Things within the BJP soured sometime in the early 2000s for Dange, when he was denied an MLC ticket and was not accommodated in any other post. He alleged then that this was due to centralisation of power in Munde and Mahajan's hands.
In 2002, Dange left the BJP and, two years later, floated an outfit called the Lokrajya Party. However, it failed to have any presence in the state.
Dange joined the NCP in 2011 and was made NCP vice-president. When the NCP split into two factions in 2023, Dange remained with Sharad Pawar. But that did not amount to a larger political role and Dange largely remained on the sidelines. Sources said Pawar was not inclined to give Dange a key position as he felt the leader was losing his relevance.
The NCP (SP) has been struggling to find its footing, and the BJP has been keeping its doors open for everyone including the old guard. This made Dange's return to the BJP smooth.
A senior BJP functionary said, 'At this stage of his life, Dange is not seeking any political post in the party or government. He already has many educational institutions including medical, engineering colleges in Sangli district.'
The BJP believes that Dange's return would also send out a positive signal to the Dhangar community, which is a sizeable population in at least 40 Assembly constituencies located in West and North Maharashtra and in Vidarbha.
Commenting on his return, Dange said Wednesday, 'I feel fortunate to return.'
However, his outspoken nature was still on display as he joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Recalling the circumstances that led to his resignation, Dange said: 'Back then, someone asked Atal Bihari Vajpayee who would be his political successor. In response Vajpayee named Pramod Mahajan among other leaders. Mahajan thought that if he were to assume an important role at the Centre, his brother-in-law Munde should become CM of Maharashtra. After that, I started getting secondary treatment in the party.'
He said then Sena supremo Bal Thackeray was also 'fond' of Mahajan. ' A section within the BJP feared my rise due to this too.'
Fadnavis quickly rebuffed this, and said it was 'just a case of misunderstanding'.
'We are glad to have a senior leader like Dange in the party. He made a huge contribution towards the growth of the party. He left due to some misunderstanding. Now, we seek his blessings and guidance. In a way, we have come to him and not vice-versa.'
A senior BJP leader said that the reality of the '90s BJP was entirely different.
'The role of Pramod Mahajan and Gopinath Munde cannot be overlooked. While Mahajan was a strategist, Munde was a mass leader. Being top leaders they took centre stage. All those whose aspirations were not met attacked them.'
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