The title 'Dada' in Maharashtra can mean two different things-elder brother or someone who wields a lot of clout. Ajit Pawar, the Maharashtra deputy chief minister who died in a plane crash Wednesday, was both.
He was unlike several second-generation politicians who began with a silver spoon.
While his paternal uncle Sharad Pawar already had a hold of Baramati, Ajit's entry into politics cemented the influence of the Pawar family there. For several decades, in spite of relentless efforts by the BJP and other parties, no one could make inroads there as Ajit, through a series of steps, had connected the entire Baramati economy with the NCP's fortunes. Every sugar and milk cooperative chairman and board member posts were occupied by NCP party workers.
A lot of credit for NCP's influence in Western Maharashtra also goes to Ajit Pawar. While the senior Pawar had a softer approach when dealing with party workers and others, Ajit's style was a bit brash, and he seemed to perennially be in a hurry. That could explain why his meetings with government officials or party workers began sometimes even as early as 7 am; senior officials and party workers who turned up late often got an earful.
Ajit's impatience was visible. He raised several eyebrows when he bluntly told Sharad Pawar after joining the Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra that it was time for the senior leader to retire.
An NCP leader once described Ajit as Sharad Pawar on steroids; he always seemed to be making up for lost time. Those who knew him says his rebellion against Pawar senior was a long time coming. Throughout his political career, Ajit was keen to ensure that he left his own mark; he wanted to lead the party and lead the state as its chief minister.
As a way to exert more control over party cadres, Ajit had a way of having party functionaries beholden to him. During the Covid pandemic, he used to send money to NCP leaders who had no source of income. Many of them joined him when he allied with the BJP and Sena.
Ajit built wide networks across parties, often helping emerging leaders. Despite his tough image, he was thoughtful in outreach, calling rival MLAs on birthdays but cutting the call if it went unanswered after three rings.
As his profile rose, Ajit kept the media at arm's length, often openly shunning it. In private, he said this stemmed from the media giving prominence to former civic official GR Khairnar's corruption allegations against Sharad Pawar during his 1993 chief ministership.
ears ago, when this reporter called Ajit Pawar for a quote, he mockingly replied, "Ajit Pawar has just passed away." His media stance shifted after Prithviraj Chavan became chief minister in 2010, when the irrigation scam brought intense scrutiny on him.
Ajit then turned a new leaf, patiently giving TV bytes and curbing his irritation even over inane questions, occasionally sharing a laugh with reporters. Despite his no-nonsense image, he developed a dry humour, once telling a party worker professing love to say it to his wife instead. Like his uncle, Ajit was a pragmatic politician. While Sharad Pawar attacked Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit steadily built ties with the BJP leader, surprising many by taking oath as deputy CM in 2019. A BJP leader said Fadnavis shared a better rapport with Ajit than with Shinde, possibly driven by mutual ambition - or even their shared July 22 birthday.
Two years ago, when a helicopter carrying Fadnavis and Ajit hit turbulence, Ajit later recalled that a calm Fadnavis reassured him, saying he had faced similar incidents before and that nothing would go wrong while he was on board.
He was unlike several second-generation politicians who began with a silver spoon.
While his paternal uncle Sharad Pawar already had a hold of Baramati, Ajit's entry into politics cemented the influence of the Pawar family there. For several decades, in spite of relentless efforts by the BJP and other parties, no one could make inroads there as Ajit, through a series of steps, had connected the entire Baramati economy with the NCP's fortunes. Every sugar and milk cooperative chairman and board member posts were occupied by NCP party workers.
A lot of credit for NCP's influence in Western Maharashtra also goes to Ajit Pawar. While the senior Pawar had a softer approach when dealing with party workers and others, Ajit's style was a bit brash, and he seemed to perennially be in a hurry. That could explain why his meetings with government officials or party workers began sometimes even as early as 7 am; senior officials and party workers who turned up late often got an earful.
Ajit's impatience was visible. He raised several eyebrows when he bluntly told Sharad Pawar after joining the Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra that it was time for the senior leader to retire.
An NCP leader once described Ajit as Sharad Pawar on steroids; he always seemed to be making up for lost time. Those who knew him says his rebellion against Pawar senior was a long time coming. Throughout his political career, Ajit was keen to ensure that he left his own mark; he wanted to lead the party and lead the state as its chief minister.
As a way to exert more control over party cadres, Ajit had a way of having party functionaries beholden to him. During the Covid pandemic, he used to send money to NCP leaders who had no source of income. Many of them joined him when he allied with the BJP and Sena.
Ajit built wide networks across parties, often helping emerging leaders. Despite his tough image, he was thoughtful in outreach, calling rival MLAs on birthdays but cutting the call if it went unanswered after three rings.
As his profile rose, Ajit kept the media at arm's length, often openly shunning it. In private, he said this stemmed from the media giving prominence to former civic official GR Khairnar's corruption allegations against Sharad Pawar during his 1993 chief ministership.
ears ago, when this reporter called Ajit Pawar for a quote, he mockingly replied, "Ajit Pawar has just passed away." His media stance shifted after Prithviraj Chavan became chief minister in 2010, when the irrigation scam brought intense scrutiny on him.
Ajit then turned a new leaf, patiently giving TV bytes and curbing his irritation even over inane questions, occasionally sharing a laugh with reporters. Despite his no-nonsense image, he developed a dry humour, once telling a party worker professing love to say it to his wife instead. Like his uncle, Ajit was a pragmatic politician. While Sharad Pawar attacked Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit steadily built ties with the BJP leader, surprising many by taking oath as deputy CM in 2019. A BJP leader said Fadnavis shared a better rapport with Ajit than with Shinde, possibly driven by mutual ambition - or even their shared July 22 birthday.
Two years ago, when a helicopter carrying Fadnavis and Ajit hit turbulence, Ajit later recalled that a calm Fadnavis reassured him, saying he had faced similar incidents before and that nothing would go wrong while he was on board.
