Ajit Pawar Sets New Record as Deputy Chief Minister for the Sixth Time

Mumbai, Dec 5 (NationPress) NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Thursday established a significant milestone in Maharashtra's political landscape by securing the position of Deputy Chief Minister for the sixth time.

Ajit Pawar, who has navigated the political arena under the mentorship of his estranged uncle and seasoned politician Sharad Pawar, is recognized for the NCP's impressive performance in the state elections, achieving victory in 41 out of 59 contested seats.

After severing ties with his uncle and aligning with MahaYuti in July 2023, Ajit Pawar opted not to reconcile with his uncle but instead expanded his party's influence through new alliances with the BJP and Shiv Sena.

Ajit Pawar made headlines when he took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister in November 2019 without informing his uncle. However, he returned to the NCP fold after resigning from the Deputy Chief Minister position, which subsequently led to the resignation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Despite his political maneuvers, he was later reinstated as Deputy Chief Minister in the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Following its downfall, he outshone party colleague Jayant Patil by becoming the Leader of the Opposition.

Following his departure from Sharad Pawar and association with MahaYuti, he regained the role of Deputy Chief Minister in July 2023.

He successfully secured the party's name and election symbol, the clock, from the Election Commission, although the final ruling from the Supreme Court is still pending.

Ajit Pawar made a daring choice to run his wife Sunetra against his estranged cousin Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha elections, signaling to party members that he had definitively severed ties with Sharad Pawar. However, Sunetra Pawar was defeated by Supriya Sule.

Despite mockery from opponents, he focused on fortifying the party's structure by introducing various welfare and development initiatives, including the Ladki Bahin Yojana, as the state assembly elections approached.

His strategy of extensive travel across the state to enhance voter engagement yielded positive results, as the NCP claimed 41 seats and solidified its role as a trusted partner in MahaYuti and the NDA. He effectively outmaneuvered the Sharad Pawar-led faction, asserting that the NCP under his leadership was the true representation of the party.

Renowned for his assertive communication style, Ajit Pawar took deliberate steps to reshape his public image, which also fostered better connectivity with party members.

He has been elected from the Baramati assembly constituency for an unprecedented eighth term. In 1991, he was appointed as the chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank, a position he held for 16 years.

He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 from the Baramati seat but later vacated it for his uncle Sharad Pawar, who subsequently joined the cabinet under Narasimha Rao as the Defence Minister.

Recognized for his strict administrative approach, Ajit Pawar has held several ministries, including energy, irrigation, finance, and planning. In the wake of an irrigation scandal raised by the opposition, he temporarily resigned from his role as Deputy Chief Minister but was later reappointed to the state cabinet.

He also faced significant media scrutiny regarding alleged irregularities at the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank and the management of struggling cooperative sugar factories in the region.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)