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.
In Chinchwad, BJP nominee Ashwini L. Jagtap continued to lead with a considerable margin over the Nationalist Congress Party-MVA rival Vithal ‘Nana’ Kate, and Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel Rahul Kalate, contesting as an Independent.
At 12 noon, Jagtap had secured 53,000 votes over Kate’s 43,700 votes and Kalate’s 16,900 votes, at the end of the 15th round of counting, with the final results likely by late afternoon.
The two hotly contested bypolls were necessitated on account of the death of the sitting BJP MLAs — Mukta J. Tilak (Kasbapeth) and Laxman P. Jagtap (Chinchwad).
