Sharad Pawar’s Nephew, Ajit Pawar, Takes Oath as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister

Ajit Pawar Takes oath: the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and nephew of Sharad Pawar. Once again grabbed headlines as he took the oath as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. And he joined the government led by Eknath Shinde.

In a surprising turn of events, Ajit Pawar was accompanied by eight NCP leaders who also took the oath as ministers. Causing a notable split within the party. The ministers sworn in include Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, Dharmarao Atram, Anil Patil, and Sanjay Bansode.

After Ajit Pawar takes oath the unexpected swearing-in ceremony, Ajit Pawar expressed his gratitude on Twitter. He acknowledged that the will of the people of Maharashtra has made his appointment possible. The support of his NCP colleagues and the strength of his faith. He pledged to utilize his position for the betterment of the people and the development of Maharashtra.

Ajit Pawar’s reemergence as deputy chief minister has once again brought attention to his influential role in Maharashtra’s political landscape. Alongside his team of newly sworn-in ministers. He is expected to play a significant part in governing the state and making important decisions. His commitment to the welfare of the people and the progress of Maharashtra will undoubtedly shape his tenure in office.

During the proceedings at Raj Bhawan, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar confirmed that, Ajit Pawar had submitted his resignation as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lower House. Which the Speaker duly accepted.

This marks a recurring pattern in Ajit Pawar’s political career. Following the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. He had previously collaborated with the BJP and hastily assumed the role of deputy CM in a clandestine ceremony. However, their coalition government endured for a mere 80 hours before it fell apart.

Ajit Pawar’s Ascendance: A Tale of Political Growth

According to Indian Express, Ajit, the son of Pawar’s elder brother Anantrao, started appearing alongside his uncle around 1991 and 1992.

He initially rose to prominence when Pawar established the NCP and subsequently served as a Cabinet minister in the Congress-NCP government. Ajit took charge of several ministries, including irrigation, rural development, water resources and finance.

Ajit earned a reputation for his ability to accomplish tasks and introduced new members into the NCP. All of whom remained loyal to him.

Unrest Erupts in NCP: A Tale of Turmoil

The first sign of turmoil emerged in 2004 when Ajit publicly voiced his opposition against the NCP, despite the party emerging as the single-largest party in Maharashtra, which led to the Congress being given the chief ministership.

According to News18, Ajit missed the opportunity to become chief minister after Pawar demanded more Cabinet berths instead of the CM’s post.

Consequently, they appointed Ajit as the deputy chief minister.

The entry of Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule, into politics in 2009 sparked murmurs of tensions within the NCP. Tensions resurfaced in 2019 when Pawar’s grandnephew, Rohit, decided to dip his toes into politics.

According to Times Now, this coincided with Ajit’s desire for his son Parth to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Maval.

Initially Pawar was not in favor. But the party ended up giving Parth a ticket. Which resulted in a massive loss by two lakh votes.

This further strained the relationship between Pawar and Ajit – Pawar felt disappointed with the party’s loss, while Ajit harbored frustration over his son not receiving full support from the party.

In September 2019, Ajit resigned as a party legislator from Baramati.

Then, in November 2019, a truly stunning event occurred. Ajit took the oath as deputy chief minister in the Devendra Fadnavis Cabinet.

The government quickly collapsed, and Ajit swiftly returned to the NCP fold. Neither individual has publicly addressed these events.

Ambitions Soar: Ajit Pawar’s Pursuit of Greater Heights

In April Ajit expressed his desire to become Maharashtra chief minister in an interview as reported by Hindustan Times.

Party leaders Sunil Tatkare and Dilip Walse Patil echoed Ajit’s sentiments. And party workers erected hoardings proclaiming Ajit as the future chief minister.

A senior NCP leader informed the newspaper that Ajit was sending a message – asserting himself as the party leader at the state level.

Meanwhile, Sule stated to ANI, “There is nothing wrong with having ambition or a dream in politics. Everybody has it so, I do not think there is anything wrong with openly expressing it. In fact he is very honest in talking about his ambition.”

Amidst rumors that Ajit was preparing to join the BJP with 40 MLAs and maintaining constant communication with Fadnavis and Amit Shah. As per Deccan Herald, Ajit initially remained silent and later vehemently denied it. Pawar on the other hand held a meeting with Uddhav Thackeray.

Insiders quoted by Deccan Herald mentioned that Pawar inclines towards appointing his daughter as his successor but warily observes Ajit’s influence within the party.

Interestingly, this development follows Ajit Pawar’s earlier statement. This month expressing his desire to step down as the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Stating that he was “never interested” in the role.

I am told that I don’t act tough as the Leader of Opposition

During the 24th Foundation Day of the NCP Ajit stated, “I am told that I don’t act tough as the Leader of Opposition. I was never interested in working as the Leader of Opposition but accepted the role upon the demand of the party MLAs.”

He further added, “Assign me any post in the party organization. And I will ensure that I fulfill any responsibility entrusted to me with utmost fairness and dedication.

His remarks came after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar appointed Supriya Sule and Praful Patel as the working presidents of the party.

Moreover, Ajit has faced another complication with Sule and NCP. Maharashtra president Jayant Patil emerging as rival power centers within the NCP.

It remains uncertain how the NCP or Ajit Pawar’s uncle will respond to the developments on Sunday. But in politics, everything and anything is possible as they say.