Ajit Pawar had the unique ability to build bridges and get things done. In today’s deeply polarized polity, he was a rare and dying breed of politicians who did not really have any personal enmity with his colleagues. Despite his defections, he left enough room for rapprochement. That style of politics is on the wane. And Dada was one of its last practitioners.
There are very few leaders who are able to remain relevant and stay in power for decades, irrespective of which party’s ruling. Those who follow Indian politics closely would certainly keep Ajit Pawar in that coveted list. Whether or not you agree with his brand of politics, no political party could ignore him. Perhaps that would be his legacy. At a time when social media presence has gained more importance than real people connect, Ajit Pawar’s old-school politics centred around masses had endeared him to people across religion, caste and class, as evidenced by a large presence of the Dawoodi-Bohra community at his funeral, other than a massive outpouring of grief across party lines.
Unfortunately, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit “Dada” Pawar was killed in a freak plane crash near Baramati on the 28th of January while he was travelling to campaign for the upcoming Zilla Panchayat elections. Even as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) investigates the cause of the accident, preliminary findings and multiple media reports suggest that low visibility and possible pressure on the pilot to land on schedule rather than divert to Pune may have contributed to the unfortunate incident. More details are awaited.
He was onboard a Learjet 45 aircraft, which reportedly aborted its first approach, then crashed near the runway threshold at high speed, killing all six occupants of the ill-fated plane. As per media reports, the pilot did not issue any Mayday call or indicated an unstable final approach.
Pawar’s death cuts short a career defined by resilience. Supriya Sule, despite her legacy and her father’s unequivocal backing, lacks the connect that endeared Ajit Pawar to the masses in Baramati, helping him represent the Baramati assembly constituency from 1991.
He rooted his power in local cooperatives and rural development, winning handsomely every time. Thanks to his ability to find common ground across the political spectrum, he managed key portfolios, including water resources, power, and rural development under five chief ministers, ranging from Congress’ Vilasrao Deshmukh to Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray, and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis.
He is often credited for transforming Baramati into a model constituency through infrastructure like roads, irrigation projects, and the proposed Purandar International Airport. As water resources minister, he oversaw major irrigation investments modernizing cooperatives and boosting western Maharashtra’s agrarian economy.
Multiple Run-ins With Controversies
His political achievements were not without controversy. He was accused of the ₹70,000 crore irrigation scam in 2012, forcing him to resign from the post of the water resources minister to assuage a raging public opinion. His insensitive remark about using urine instead of water to irrigate land in 2013 also drew widespread criticism and an apology.
Recently, in a viral video, he was heard arguing with a police official, which created much furore on social media. However, these controversies did not undermine his ability to remain a key player in the state’s politics.
His biggest coup was engineering a split in his uncle’s NCP in 2023, where 41 of 54 NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) MLAs defected to join the BJP-Shiv Sena (Mahayuti) alliance. Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, alongside eight other ministers, including Chhagan Bhujbal. He was reportedly under pressure due to the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation surrounding his role in the alleged irrigation scam.
What’s Next for Maharashtra
Politics never stops. While his supporters are mourning his death, the absence of the wily operator in Ajit Pawar has thrown open a gamut of possibilities for the state’s politics. There were murmurs that the Pawar family was contemplating a rapprochement before the parliamentary elections in 2029. This move would have strengthened the NCP and created a viable opposition to the BJP, amid a shrinking Congress footprint and a mostly irrelevant Shiv Sena (UBT).
His untimely death has left his supporters stunned, and diminished the clout of the Pawar family, led by the octogenarian senior Pawar, who is already at the margins of the state’s politics.
Aside from his failing health, he is up against an all-powerful Devendra Fadnavis, who has emerged even stronger after the historic win in the BMC elections, consolidating his grip on Maharashtra politics. With the Shiv Sena (UBT) already on the ropes after a dismal show in the BMC, and a jittery Eknath Shinde who is spending considerable time and effort protecting his turf, it is advantage BJP all the way.
Tributes Pour In: No Foul Play, Says Senior Pawar
Leaders across party lines paid rich tributes to Ajit Pawar. The PM rued his passing, highlighting his contributions to Maharashtra’s development and his grassroots connect. His long-time colleague in the state’s politics, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, called him an “elder brother” and vowed a thorough probe into the crash. Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan called it a “big loss for Indian politics,” dubbing him “Baramati’s king.”
Others, like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleged foul play. Her accusations were promptly denied by Senior Pawar, who said, “There’s no conspiracy involved; it’s purely an accident.” Celebrities like Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, and Riteish Deshmukh also expressed grief and shock at the incident, underlining Ajit Pawar’s popularity and acceptance even in the film industry.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) issued a statement, noting that “ensuring a thorough, transparent, and time-bound inquiry remains a top priority.” “The investigation is progressing expeditiously, and the black box of the ill-fated aircraft has been recovered. MoCA remains fully committed to completing the investigation within a defined timeframe, strictly in accordance with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and laid-down guidelines,” the statement read.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shashank Shekhar is a marketing professional who writes on technology, politics, social developments and international relations. He is also a keen observer of astrophysics and space technology.
