Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash: Political journey of Maharashtra’s longest-serving deputy CM | India News
Ajit Pawar
New Delhi: Ajit Anantrao Pawar, popularly known as “Dada” in Maharashtra’s high-level political circles, was a dominant force in state politics whose life ended when he crashed at Baramati in Pune district.Pawar was known for his blunt, no-nonsense style and his firm grip on Maharashtra’s political landscape. Known for his good command and authority across party lines.
He was serving his sixth term as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in the BJP-led Mahayuti government led by CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He was also its national president Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).Ajit Pawar came from the influential Pawar political family and rose under the huge legacy of his uncle, veteran leader Sharad Pawar, who had earlier served as the chief minister of the state.In 2023, the NCP split into two factions when Ajit Pawar broke away to form an alliance with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. Sharad Pawar went with the rest of the parties and decided not to support the BJP-Shiv Sena government in the state.Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission recognized the Ajit Pawar-led party as the “real” NCP, giving it the party name and symbol, while Sharad Pawar’s party continued as the NCP (SCP).Also Read | PM Modi condoles the death of Ajit Pawar, remembers his dedicationAjit Pawar represented the Baramati Assembly constituency for seven consecutive terms beginning in 1991, winning each election by a comfortable margin. His political power was firmly rooted in Maharashtra’s strong cooperative sector.‘Dada’ served as Chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank for 16 years, giving him a profound influence on sugar cooperatives and milk unions across western Maharashtra. Over the years, he has handled almost every chief minister’s portfolio in the state, including water resources, power and rural development, serving under various Chief Ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Uddhav Thackeray and most recently Devendra Fadnavis.Ajit Pawar’s political relevance was built on his bold — and often controversial — decisions.In a dramatic dawn move in November 2019, he was sworn in as deputy chief minister along with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. The Test lasted 80 hours before he returned to the fold under the leadership of his uncle Sharad Pawar. In July 2023, he made his most decisive break yet, creating a vertical split in the NCP and joining the Eknath Shinde-led government – a move that directly challenged the 25-year leadership of his uncle and political mentor.Despite the turmoil, Power was widely respected within the bureaucracy for his “pro-action” style and his firm grip on administration.Follow the live updates hereAjit Pawar is married to Sunetra Pawar and has two sons, Jai and Parth. From the cooperative sector to the highest level of state politics, his journey was closely intertwined with Baramati, the constituency that shaped his political career.
