Ajit Pawar is an Indian politician from the state of Maharashtra. He belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a political party in India. Ajit Pawar is the nephew of Sharad Pawar, a prominent Indian politician and the founder of the NCP.
Ajit Pawar has held various positions in the Maharashtra government. He has served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on multiple occasions. He has also held ministerial portfolios such as Finance, Water Resources, and Energy in the state government.
Ajit Pawar’s political career has been primarily associated with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra, India.
Here is a summary of his political journey:
- Early Years: Ajit Pawar entered politics in the late 1980s, following in the footsteps of his uncle, Sharad Pawar. He started his political career at the grassroots level, working within the NCP’s youth wing.
- Legislative Assembly: In 1991, Ajit Pawar contested and won his first election to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the Baramati constituency. He has been re-elected from the same constituency in subsequent elections.
- Ministerial Positions: Ajit Pawar has held various ministerial portfolios in the Maharashtra government. In 1999, he became a Minister of State in the Agriculture and Marketing departments. Over the years, he has held several other ministerial positions, including Finance, Energy, Water Resources, and Planning.
- Deputy Chief Minister: Ajit Pawar served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra multiple times. His first term as Deputy CM was from 2010 to 2014 during the Congress-NCP coalition government. He was reappointed as Deputy CM in 2019, forming a short-lived alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which lasted for a few days.
- Controversies: Ajit Pawar has faced controversies during his political career. In 2012, he was implicated in an alleged irrigation scam, which raised questions about irregularities in irrigation projects. However, he denied any wrongdoing and later received a clean chit from the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
- Leadership Roles: Ajit Pawar has played a significant role within the NCP. He has held positions such as the NCP’s Maharashtra State President and the leader of the NCP Legislative Party.
Formation of Short-Lived Government with BJP:
Ajit Pawar broke away from his uncle and the NCP to form a short-lived government with the BJP in Maharashtra. He was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister alongside BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis in a surprise ceremony at the Raj Bhavan. However, the government lasted only 80 hours before collapsing.
Deputy CM in MVA Government:
After the collapse of the BJP-led government, Ajit Pawar rejoined the NCP and later served as Deputy Chief Minister in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray. He held the position for two and a half years until the alliance government dissolved in June 2022.
Meeting with BJP Leadership:
Prior to Sharad Pawar’s announcement to quit as the party chief (later withdrawn), Ajit Pawar visited Delhi to meet with BJP leadership, indicating a potential association with the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance.
Supriya Sule’s Elevation:
After Sharad Pawar withdrew his resignation, he appointed Supriya Sule and Praful Patel as the NCP’s working presidents, bypassing Ajit Pawar. This decision is seen as a significant factor behind Ajit’s defiance and his subsequent move to join the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance.
Sworn in as Deputy CM:
On Sunday, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the fifth time, joining the government led by Eknath Shinde. He will share the post with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis. Eight other MLAs also took the oath to join the Maharashtra government.
Sharad Pawar’s Response:
Sharad Pawar commented on his nephew’s rebellion, stating that it may be new for others but not for him. He emphasized that the NCP will not engage in fights over individuals making statements and will instead go to the people. He defended the decision to share power with the BJP, citing the NCP’s ability to work with various parties for overall development, although he stated that Ajit’s stance was not in line with the NCP’s principles.
