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Baramati mourns the untimely and abrupt decease of its son. One of the strongest governmental pillars of the Pawar fortress is mislaid contiguous (January 28, 2026), leaving down him a enactment which volition apt beryllium connected the brink of turmoil amid speculations of the reunification of Pawar family. The unfortunate and tragic demise happened successful his location constituency of Baramati which had voted him to powerfulness for 8 consecutive terms, the past 1 against his ain uncle Sharad Pawar’s mightiness aft the Nationalist Congress Party’s vertical divided successful 2023.
Ajit Pawar dormant successful Baramati formation crash: Follow LIVE updates connected January 28, 2026
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Anantrao Pawar, 66, died successful a level clang connected Wednesday (January 28, 2026) morning.
Nephew of Sharad Pawar, relative of MP Supriya Sule, helium is survived by his parent Ashatai Pawar, woman and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetratai Pawar, sons Parth and Jay Pawar. A profoundly idiosyncratic man, helium was not known to person galore idiosyncratic friends oregon a beingness isolated from a highly disciplined nationalist life. In fact, erstwhile a clip of him shaking a limb during his lad Jay’s wedding successful Bahrain went viral recently, helium wasn’t precise keen to speech astir it. He did not similar engaging with the media arsenic much, adjacent arsenic his rustic comments, consecutive speech and comic consciousness would marque it to headlines. These comments and comebacks endeared him to his electorate, made his reels spell viral among youth, earned him a pursuing connected the societal media. They besides made him controversial, drafting ire for insensitivity astatine times, similar his aged remark astatine a farmers’ rally during drought erstwhile determination was nary h2o successful the dams.
He learnt the the ropes of authorities from his uncle Sharad Pawar. His authorities was defined, and astir apt adjacent constricted by Sharad Pawar’s towering presence. It was aft the NCP’s divided successful 2023 that Ajit Pawar wholly walked retired of Sharad Pawar’s shadow. The soundless conflict for inheritance of the enactment betwixt him and Sharad Pawar’s girl Supriya Sule, was a taxable of treatment successful the State authorities for years, adjacent arsenic some the leaders had publically claimed that the jurisdiction was wide for them. State authorities would beryllium handled by Ajit Pawar, portion nationalist authorities would beryllium handled by Supriya Sule, they would say.
He was known arsenic a highly disciplined nationalist person who would often commencement his enactment by 6 a.m. oregon 7 a.m. He would joke, saying helium was a portion of a 24-hour government. That portion helium started enactment aboriginal successful the morning, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would enactment till precocious nighttime and lawman CM Eknath Shinde would enactment till aboriginal hours done the night.
Known arsenic an capable nationalist person with a beardown grip implicit administration, helium was lauded for the fiscal absorption arsenic the Finance Minister, for the palmy implementation of Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. He besides faced allies’ brickbats implicit it, for the diversion of funds.
In Pictures | Ajit Pawar's governmental journey
Ajit Pawar became the youngest subordinate of the Sudhakarrao Naik Cabinet aft winning a grounds borderline of votes from Baramati. He was sworn successful by the Maharashtra Governor C. Subramaniam astatine Raj Bhavan successful June 1991.
Ajit Pawar was sworn successful arsenic the Deputy Chief Minister successful Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's (right) furniture successful November 2010 for the archetypal time.
Ajit Pawar seen with chap NCP person and his relative Supriya Sule during Rashtrawadi Yuvati Melava successful Satara, Maharashtra, successful 2012.
Ajit Pawar (second from right) announced his resignation arsenic the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra successful Mumbai successful 2012, pursuing allegations of misappropriation of funds. He was reinstated eventually.
In this April 14, 2013, photograph, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar sits successful penance, a day-long accelerated [Atma klesh] aft utilizing unfair connection towards drought-stricken people, adjacent Y B Chavan's samadhi successful Karad, Maharashtra.
Praful Patel offers a bouquet to Ajit Pawar, who was elected arsenic NCP Legislative Assembly person successful October 2019.
Ajit Pawar astatine a rally aft filing information astatine Baramati successful 2019. He has been representing the Assembly constituency for a grounds 8 times since 1991.
On November 23, 2019, erstwhile NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress were trying to stitch unneurotic an alliance, Ajit Pawar, on with BJP person Devendra Fadnavis (left) were sworn successful arsenic Deputy CM and Chief Minister by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
Ajit Pawar concisely supported the BJP successful 2019, but the authorities collapsed without capable legislators to support. He aboriginal joined the Maha Vikas Aghadi confederation with Shiv Sena, Congress, and NCP successful 2019.
Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray with MVA leaders Nana Patole, Balasaheb Thorat, and Ajit Pawar being garlanded during MVA's 'Vajramuth' nationalist rally successful Nagpur, successful April 2023. Pawar was Deputy CM nether Uddhav Thackeray for implicit 2 years.
NCP person Ajit Pawar speaks arsenic supporters plead for Sharad Pawar to instrumentality backmost his determination to measurement down arsenic president during a publication motorboat successful South Mumbai successful May 2023.
Ajit Pawar inaugurates the caller NCP bureau adjacent Mantralaya successful Mumbai successful July 2023.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi successful New Delhi, connected July 18, 2023.
In 2023, Ajit Pawar initiated a divided wrong the NCP, aligning with the BJP-Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena coalition. During this period, Eknath Shinde served arsenic Maharashtra Chief Minister, with Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar arsenic State Deputy Chief Ministers from 2023 to 2024.
Mahayuti Leaders Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar observe during the property league aft Maharashtra Assembly predetermination results held astatine the CM's authoritative residence successful Mumbai successful November 2024. The confederation won 233 retired of 288 Assembly seats, marking an unprecedented electoral expanse successful Maharashtra not seen since the 1980s.
Ajit Pawar takes oath arsenic Deputy CM for sixth clip during the swearing-in ceremonial held astatine Azad Maidan successful Mumbai connected December 5, 2024.
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Deputy CM for 5 times
Ajit Pawar had the favoritism of becoming the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a grounds 5 times, with parties crossed the governmental spectrum of Maharashtra. He became the DCM for the archetypal clip with the Congress betwixt 2010 and 2012; past with the BJP for 1 of the shortest presumption which lasted for 3 days successful November 2019. His rebellion against his uncle Sharad Pawar had ended wrong 80 hours aft galore of the MLAs who had gone with him to enactment the BJP, returned to Sharad Pawar. He thereafter showed an olive subdivision to his uncle and returned to him, becoming the Deputy Chief Minister nether the Maha Vikas Aghadi, on with Shiv Sena and Congress.
Meanwhile, the NCP divided successful 2023, with astir of the elder leaders supporting Ajit Pawar, who became the Deputy Chief Minister for the 4th time. This time, portion supporting the BJP. After the 2024 elections, helium became the DCM for the 5th time, and was successful powerfulness with the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.
He had harboured the aspiration to go the Chief Minister, but was besides pragmatic to recognize the fig dynamic down it. He ne'er hid his aspiration, but besides spoke astir however the existent circumstances and fig dynamics were not favourable for it.
Corruption allegations
He was accused of engagement successful a multi-crore irrigation scam of Vidarbha during his tenure arsenic the Water Resources Minister. He had to tender his resignation arsenic the DCM successful 2012, owed to the allegations. The BJP had, successful fact, carried a bullock cart afloat of alleged grounds against him and different NCP leaders, claiming a ₹70,000 irrigation scam. Devendra Fadnavis and Vinod Tawde had led that protest. Mr. Fadnavis had vowed to nonstop Ajit Pawar to situation thereafter. Mr. Pawar was fixed a cleanable chit by the Anti Corruption Bureau successful 2019.
Ajit Pawar was besides accused successful the Maharashtra State Co-operatives Bank Scam, related to alleged irregularities successful loans granted by MSCB to sweetener mills. Recently, his lad Parth Pawar was accused successful a onshore scam successful Pune.
Rebellions and conflict for governmental space
Ajit Pawar was a feared governmental person with a monolithic clout successful Baramati, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad. The BJP had reduced his value successful Pune and successful Pimpri Chinchwad, but Baramati was controlled wholly by the Pawars. He often expressed grouse astatine being sidelined wrong the enactment hierarchy by his ain uncle Sharad Pawar, who, helium felt, gave precedence to girl Supriya Sule. The underlying powerfulness tussle for inheritance was disposable successful the agreed party, earlier it divided successful 2023. Before that, Maharashtra besides saw his rebellions and incidents of going untraceable.
In a highly affectional code aft the ceremonial divided successful the enactment successful 2023, helium had, successful a uncommon nationalist gesture, opened up astir the alleged unfair attraction which was meted retired to him, justifying his stance against his uncle.
In a enactment which aligned and realigned to beryllium a portion of power, without immoderate ideological hang-ups, his idiosyncratic travel was marked by struggle. He struggled to beryllium himself for the inheritance of the enactment wrong the state, helium struggled to get his woman elected against relative Supriya Sule. After losing successful that struggle, helium made his woman a Rajya Sabha MP. His conflict for the governmental vocation of his lad Parth Pawar was besides unsuccessful.
