Praveen Mane, who shook up Indapur’s assembly election as an independent, will join BJP on July 2. Seen as a close aide of Fadnavis, Mane is likely to strengthen BJP’s local hold.
Pune | June 28, 2025: The politically charged Indapur assembly constituency—which grabbed headlines during the last elections for its triangular contest—is once again in focus. Praveen Mane, the independent candidate who emerged as a vote-splitter and giant killer, is set to officially join the BJP on July 2.
Indapur witnessed an intense three-way battle after veteran leader Harshvardhan Patil quit BJP and joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP on the eve of the elections. Many had assumed Patil’s victory was guaranteed and expected Ajit Pawar faction’s candidate, Dattatray Bharane, to lose. But the unexpected twist came when NCP’s local leader and businessman Praveen Mane contested as an independent, defying the party line.
Though Mane didn’t win, his entry dramatically altered the equation—cutting into Harshvardhan Patil’s vote bank and ultimately leading to Patil’s surprising defeat. Mane’s performance earned him the reputation of a game-changer in the region.
Now, with Patil’s exit from BJP leaving a vacuum in Indapur, the party has found its new face in Praveen Mane. Sources confirm that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with whom Mane shares close ties, played a pivotal role in bringing him into the BJP fold.
Mane also played a significant but discreet role in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Initially campaigning for Supriya Sule, he switched sides after a high-level meeting at his residence with Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. Despite this, the Mahayuti alliance couldn’t ensure a lead for Sunetra Pawar in Indapur.
With his formal induction into the BJP now set, political observers believe Mane’s entry will re-energize the party’s local cadre and potentially reshape the future political landscape of Indapur.
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