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Ajit Pawar, a powerful leader known as ‘Dada’ in Maharashtra politics and who played the game of power as per his understanding, is no more among us. The plane crash that took place near Baramati on the morning of 28 January 2026 not only took away an experienced leader from us, but also shook the balance of state politics, the pivot of which was Ajit Pawar for the last three decades.

early life

Born on 22 July 1959, Ajit Pawar’s early life was full of challenges. His father, Anantrao Pawar, worked at the famous film production company Rajkamal Studios. When Ajit Pawar was in college, his father’s demise left him with the responsibility of the family. Ajit Pawar’s political journey begins in 1982 when he was elected to a co-operative sugar factory board. He then served as the Chairman of Pune District Cooperative Bank in 1991 and served for 16 years.

Ajit Pawar’s political journey

In 1991 itself, Pawar was elected Lok Sabha MP from Baramati for the first time, but he vacated this seat for his uncle Sharad Pawar. Later he stood in the assembly elections and after winning here, made Baramati his stronghold. To understand the politics of Ajit Pawar, just one word is enough – Baramati. A lot has changed in the politics of Maharashtra in the last 30-40 years. Governments came and went, parties were formed and broken, but one thing that remained steadfast was Ajit Pawar’s hold on Baramati. He was elected MLA from Baramati more than 8 times.

as Deputy Chief Minister

Pawar commanded the state as Deputy Chief Minister for almost 9 years. He remained at the center of power and ran it at his own pace. Dada was the Finance Minister for more than 6 years and presented the state budget more than 10 times. On 2 July 2023, a major political turning point came in Maharashtra politics when Ajit Pawar and some senior NCP leaders decided to part ways with the leadership of the party founder and his uncle Sharad Pawar. He took the step to join the then BJP Shinde (Mahayuti) coalition government and took oath as Deputy Chief Minister.

conclusion

Ajit Pawar’s identity was created not by speeches but by decisions. In the bureaucracy, he was called a “no-nonsense administrator” i.e. a leader who took direct decisions. He often played the role of kingmaker in coalition governments. Ajit Pawar’s politics never ran in a straight line. Controversies arose, allegations were made, power changed. But after every ups and downs, one thing remained clear, his political relevance never ended.