Listed here are the highest 5 moments that outlined the six-time Maharashtra deputy chief minister’s 35-year political profession.
1) Irrigation fraud
All his political achievements have been marred by the massive controversy of irrigation rip-off in 2012, which pressured him to resign from the Maharashtra cupboard. In September the identical yr, he was serving as deputy CM within the then Congress-NCP authorities when his title surfaced in reference to alleged monetary irregularities of over Rs 70,000 crore.
The NCP chief was given a clear sheet in December 2019 after the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau concluded that there was no proof of his direct involvement within the alleged inflated contracts throughout his tenure.
2) Morning oath ceremony
In 2019, when the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was in talks with the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, Ajit Pawar shocked everybody, together with his uncle and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar, when he took oath as deputy chief minister at 8am on Saturday morning.
This was after he joined palms with Devendra Fadnavis of the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) to type the federal government in Maharashtra. However three days later, the federal government collapsed after Pawar did not engineer a break up inside the get together. Ajit Pawar has returned to the MVA fold. He was once more appointed deputy CM of the Aghadi authorities.
3) Resignation of Mr. Sharad Pawar
In Might 2023, NCP chief Sharad Pawar determined to resign to make approach for the subsequent chief. On the ceremony the place he introduced his retirement, many staff and get together leaders mourned and referred to as on him to not resign, a request he in the end agreed to.
Nevertheless, solely Ajit Pawar stood up and supported Pawar’s resolution to resign. “You all can enchantment if you need, however within the case of me and Supriya (Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s daughter), is he going to take heed to us?” he stated in response to a employee’s plea to enchantment to his uncle to rethink his resolution.
In his normal tone, he stated it will be higher for the subsequent get together chief to be chosen whereas Sharad Pawar continues to be in workplace.
“Given his age, we’re enthusiastic about the next.” Saheb (Sharad Pawar) and everybody else are attempting handy over the reins of the get together to a brand new chief. This chief would work for the next events: trainer’s Steering. Any idiot would know that Saheb is the get together,” he stated.
His stand was diametrically against what all the opposite leaders on stage stated and as soon as once more demonstrated his ambition to change into NCP president.
4) Rebel
Lastly, in July 2023, Ajit Pawar rebelled in opposition to his uncle Sharad Pawar. This time he was higher ready. He was accompanied by 9 different ministers and round 40 MLAs. He joined palms with Fadnavis and Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde and have become a part of the Mahayuti authorities.
The NCP has break up vertically, with Ajit Pawar’s faction taking possession of the get together’s image, the alarm clock. It was his second, the second he stepped out of his uncle’s shadow.
Nevertheless, his efficiency over the previous two and a half years has been blended. Within the Lok Sabha polls, his get together received only one seat and couldn’t even make his spouse win from Mr Baramati. Nevertheless, the outcomes have been kinder in parliamentary and municipal elections. A just lately concluded enterprise ballot tilted the clock in opposition to him once more. His get together was additionally decimated in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, areas that he had full management over till 2017.
5) Accusation in opposition to son
Whereas Ajit Pawar has by no means misplaced an election, his eldest son Parth Pawar misplaced from Mawar constituency within the 2019 basic elections. Six years later, he confronted a setback when his son’s title was implicated within the Munhwa land rip-off.
After the allegations in opposition to Parth have been made in November final yr, Ajit Pawar initially distanced himself from his son. However just a few days later, he spoke out about it in protection of his son.
The NCP chief recalled to the media the allegations leveled in opposition to him within the irrigation rip-off, however instructed the media that an investigation in the end revealed that he had nothing to do with any wrongdoing.
“It is simple to make allegations, but it surely’s equally essential that folks know the fact behind these allegations. I knew nothing about this deal. I at all times say, do what matches the principles. I requested everybody in my workplace at this time if anybody pressured them to behave in a sure approach. There was no strain on anybody from my workplace,” he stated.
His second son, Jay Pawar, stays comparatively unknown in public life. He’s stated to be concerned in his household’s enterprise, serving to handle native campaigns and again rooms.
(Edited by Tony Lai)
Additionally learn: Ajit Pawar: Sassy, tireless, ambiased and at all times ‘dada’
