The political landscape of Maharashtra was plunged into mourning on Wednesday morning following the tragic demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a devastating plane crash near Baramati. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was en route to his party's stronghold to attend a crucial rally for the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections when the chartered aircraft met with a fatal accident, claiming the lives of all six individuals on board.
A Political Journey Cut Short
Ajit Pawar's untimely death comes at a particularly turbulent moment in Maharashtra's political narrative, marked by intense speculation about a potential reconciliation between the estranged uncle-nephew duo. For months, political circles had been abuzz with rumors that Ajit Pawar was contemplating a dramatic return to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, potentially reuniting with his uncle and veteran politician Sharad Pawar.
The Fractured Legacy
The NCP had suffered a significant rupture in 2023 when Ajit Pawar, accompanied by numerous senior leaders, orchestrated a dramatic split from the party helmed by his uncle. This faction subsequently aligned itself with the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government in Maharashtra, creating a deep schism within one of the state's most influential political families.
Just last week, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had publicly expressed optimism about Ajit Pawar merging his faction with the NCP (Sharad Pawar) group. "Though Ajit Pawar is part of the Mahayuti alliance, he remains connected with the MVA. Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar will reunite as part of the MVA. Ajit Pawar cannot sit on two stools," Raut had asserted in a statement that now carries haunting significance.
Symbolic Battles and Family Rifts
Following the bitter split, the Election Commission of India awarded Ajit Pawar's faction the original NCP name and the distinctive 'clock' symbol, while Sharad Pawar's group was compelled to rebrand itself as NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). This institutional recognition of the division formalized what had been a deeply personal and political family conflict.
History of Rebellion
Affectionately called 'dada' by his supporters, Ajit Pawar was no stranger to political rebellion. His career was punctuated by dramatic shifts that repeatedly reshaped Maharashtra's power equations:
- In 2019, he stunned observers by defecting from the NCP to join the BJP government led by Devendra Fadnavis, assuming the Deputy Chief Minister's position. However, this government spectacularly collapsed within 80 hours, prompting his return to the NCP fold and the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.
- Even in 2004, Ajit Pawar had created waves by publicly opposing his own party leadership's decision to concede the chief ministership to their Congress allies.
- The year 2012 witnessed another dramatic episode when he suddenly resigned as Deputy Chief Minister amid serious allegations of irregularities in irrigation projects during his tenure as water resources minister. This move threatened to topple the Congress-led government, with other NCP ministers threatening to follow his lead, until his uncle Sharad Pawar intervened to salvage the situation.
Signs of Thawing Relations
Recent months had witnessed subtle but significant indications of a potential reconciliation between the warring Pawar factions:
- The NCP had contested the recent municipal elections in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad in collaboration with NCP (Sharad Pawar), though the alliance ultimately faced disappointment with the BJP securing landslide victories.
- Both factions had agreed to contest the upcoming third phase of civic body polls on February 5 under Ajit Pawar's faction's 'clock' symbol, signaling unprecedented cooperation.
- Family members from both sides were frequently spotted together at various public functions, fueling intense speculation about an impending reunion.
In a revealing interview with The Times of India earlier this month, Ajit Pawar himself acknowledged that the bitterness between the two NCP factions had substantially diminished. He hinted at possible reconciliation with his uncle, articulating his belief in the politics of 'addition, not subtraction.' "There has been no discussion with Pawar Saheb yet. However, I want to make it clear that there are no permanent enemies in politics," he had stated prophetically.
NCP's Maharashtra unit chief Sunil Tatkare further elaborated on this possibility in a recent conversation with The Indian Express, discussing the municipal poll setbacks and suggesting that while merger talks with NCP(SP) might occur, the party would maintain its alliance with the NDA at the national level.
Political Implications and Unanswered Questions
The sudden vacuum created by Ajit Pawar's demise presents immediate challenges for the Mahayuti government—the coalition comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and his NCP faction. With 41 MLAs in the current assembly, the NCP constitutes a significant component of the ruling alliance, which nevertheless maintains a comfortable majority.
While the immediate question revolves around who will succeed Ajit Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister from the NCP, a more profound uncertainty now looms over the future of the party itself. The possibility of a merger between the two NCP factions, which had gained momentum in recent weeks, now faces an unpredictable future without one of its principal architects.
A Turbulent Political Timeline
Ajit Pawar's political journey was characterized by dramatic turns:
- On November 23, 2019, his defection to the BJP government made headlines, though the administration collapsed within 80 hours, forcing his resignation alongside then-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
- He returned to the NCP, and on December 1, 2019, was announced as Deputy Chief Minister for the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
- The Shiv Sena split in 2022 precipitated the collapse of the MVA government.
- In July 2023, Ajit Pawar engineered another NCP split, joining the BJP-led Mahayuti government with substantial MLA support and being sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister alongside Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis.
This final move formalized the division of the NCP into two distinct entities, with the Election Commission's recognition of Ajit Pawar's faction as the legitimate inheritor of the party's name and symbol. His tragic death now leaves this complex political legacy at a crossroads, with Maharashtra's political future hanging in the balance as the state mourns the loss of one of its most dynamic and controversial leaders.
