Wednesday was poised to be another demanding day for deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Ajit Pawar, as he prepared to address four campaign rallies for the upcoming zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections. His day was scheduled to commence upon landing at the Baramati airstrip around 9 am, with the first rally set for 10 am in Nirwagaj and the final one planned for approximately 5:30 pm in Supa village.
A Campaign in Full Swing
Ajit Pawar had officially launched his party's campaign for the February 5 polls on January 24, addressing supporters at the renowned Maruti temple in Kanheri, Baramati. During this event, he detailed the development initiatives undertaken in the region, emphasizing his commitment to securing maximum seats across all panchayat samitis within his home district.
Strategic Meetings and Rural Outreach
The following day, the NCP chief engaged with directors and office bearers of various cooperative societies in Baramati. After returning to Mumbai on Tuesday for administrative duties, he intended to dedicate the subsequent days to intensive campaigning in Baramati and the surrounding rural areas.
An NCP worker from the Pune city unit noted that Ajit Pawar had extensively toured nearly all districts over the past three months for municipal council and corporation elections, with ambitious plans for the zilla parishad polls. "During the corporation elections, Ajitdada not only focused on western Maharashtra, the NCP stronghold, but also conducted rallies in Nagpur, Amravati, Chandrapur, and Akola, where the party contested independently," the worker explained. "He utilized planes, helicopters, and road travel extensively. Wednesday turned tragic when he met with a fatal accident in his hometown Baramati moments before his plane was due to land."
Early Starts and Dedicated Efforts
Another party member highlighted Ajit Pawar's rigorous campaign routine, which often began at dawn. "In Pune, he would visit the homes of party workers as early as 7 am. Even on Wednesday, he departed Mumbai around 7 am to maximize his time in Baramati, engaging with constituents and party activists," the worker added.
Planning and Candidate Selection
Vishwas Devkate, former Pune zilla parishad president and a close associate of Ajit Pawar, revealed that immediately after the civic poll results, the NCP chief conducted a series of meetings with party workers and senior leaders to strategize for the district-level elections. "He personally supervised candidate selection, consulting across tehsils and distributing party tickets for the zilla parishad and panchayat samiti polls," Devkate stated.
Loyalty and Acceptance
Nirmala Pansare, another former Pune zilla parishad president and long-time loyalist of Ajit Pawar, expressed acceptance of his decision not to field her as a candidate this time. "He denied me a ticket this time, but I harbor no resentment. The opportunities I received in previous elections exceeded my expectations," Pansare remarked.
Previous Campaign Successes
In the polls for the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic bodies, where the NCP contested against its Mahayuti partner, the BJP, Ajit Pawar spearheaded the campaign single-handedly. He addressed rallies in key areas such as Katraj, Hadapsar, Balewadi, and Wadgaonsheri. His vigorous campaigning yielded positive outcomes in the municipal council elections, particularly in Baramati, where the NCP secured 35 out of 41 seats. Additionally, the party clinched the president's post in 10 out of 17 local bodies.
This tragic incident underscores the relentless pace and dedication that characterized Ajit Pawar's political endeavors, leaving a significant impact on the electoral landscape of Maharashtra.
