Mumbai: Like father, like son, or a minimum of that is what Parth Pawar, son of the late Ajit Pawar, appears to be creating. On February 15, Parth Pawar went to Baramati with out discover and inspected numerous public works carried out by Ajit Pawar in his hometown Baramati.
He inspected the high-profile Shivrushti mission launched by Ajit Pawar in January 2025. The Rs 650-crore mission is predicted to spice up tourism. Parth Pawar additionally requested in regards to the standing and security facets of assorted initiatives, together with the butterfly backyard and journey actions inside the mission.
Within the month following Ajit Pawar’s dying, Parth stepped as much as take over a few of his father’s tasks, interacting with staff every day, personally overseeing occasion administration and monitoring ongoing initiatives in Baramati.
Mr. Parth had largely remained within the shadows after his defeat within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, however now he appears able to re-enter mainstream politics. He’s broadly anticipated to be given the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by his mom Sunetra Pawar.
“He has proven eager curiosity in political actions and social gathering affairs, which is a welcome signal. The cadre can be comfortable if he’s despatched to Rajya Sabha,” NCP spokesperson Sanjay Tatkare informed ThePrint.
“He is approachable and he is nonetheless younger in order that can be a bonus,” Tatkare added.
Occasion officers stated the seat has historically been held by his household, making him the most definitely “pure successor”.
A senior NCP official near Parth stated, “He’s now exhibiting energetic curiosity in politics. Earlier it was troublesome to evaluate him as he was on the fringes. However over the previous two weeks, we now have all been watching him carefully. He has change into extra accountable and appears able to step into the function.”
One other social gathering chief identified that Parth had by no means been concerned in day-to-day social gathering affairs or essential decision-making. “However after that dadaCuriosity in him elevated additional following his dying. It is too early to say how this may develop, but it surely’s encouraging to see him carry out. ”
After Ajit Pawar’s dying, it was unanimously determined that Sunetra Pawar would take over the management as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, a transfer supported by Parth. Occasion sources stated the choice was primarily taken by senior leaders as Parth was nonetheless grieving on the time.
from the sidelines
After his Lok Sabha bid from Maval failed in 2019, Parth distanced himself from public life. However he performed a behind-the-scenes function in strengthening booth-level management and rising the social gathering’s social media presence, in keeping with an MLA who requested anonymity.
His involvement reportedly elevated after the social gathering break up in 2023, when Ajit Pawar began main a brand new faction. Round that point, the social gathering appointed Naresh Arora of Design Boxed (a political marketing campaign agency) as its media advisor. Arora is an individual who is alleged to share an in depth relationship with Parth.
At one level, Parth overtly defended Arora towards criticism from social gathering MLC Amol Mitkari, who objected to Arora taking credit score for the social gathering’s meeting election victory. Parth stated on social media that Mitkali’s feedback didn’t mirror the social gathering’s official place and requested him to chorus from such feedback.
Though he continued to keep away from intensive media publicity, Parth intermittently supported his father on social gathering points, together with visiting taluka workplaces, convening district-level conferences, hiring booth-level employees, and strengthening the social gathering’s native base forward of the 2024 basic elections.
Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled for March 16, and Sunetra Pawar, at present deputy chief minister, must vacate her higher home seat. The ruling Mahayuti alliance is predicted to safe six of the seven vacant seats in Maharashtra.
NCP leaders are due to this fact prone to identify Parth Pawar to succeed his mom, who was despatched to Congress after shedding to Supriya Sule within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Not free from controversy
Regardless of his comparatively low public profile, Parth Pawar has confronted his justifiable share of controversy.
In 2020, Sharad Pawar publicly described himself as “immature” after Pal wrote a letter to the then Maharashtra Dwelling Minister Anil Deshmukh demanding a CBI probe into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s dying, an episode that reportedly exacerbated tensions inside the Pawar household.
Sharad Pawar was broadly seen as specializing in mentoring his different grandnephews, Rohit Pawar and Yugendra Pawar.
For a while, Partho had been in search of a extra energetic political function. Nevertheless, tensions between Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar intensified after the 2019 defeat, with Ajit believed to have felt that Parth was not being correctly developed as a frontrunner.
In the course of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Parth once more stirred controversy when he met Pune-based gangster Gajanan Marnu, an act that additionally drew public criticism from his father.
In November 2025, his identify surfaced in reference to the Munhwa land fraud allegations. Nevertheless, earlier this month, he was cleared by a high-level inquiry committee headed by Extra Chief Secretary (Income) Vikas Kharge. Income Division sources stated Mr Parth was acquitted as a result of his signature was not on the related land buy paperwork.
The event got here as an enormous aid to the younger Pawar, who’s attempting to restart his political profession.
“Earlier, Mr. Parth was not very concerned with social gathering actions, however now he’s assembly folks and social gathering officers rather more typically,” stated the senior official quoted earlier.
Parth additionally performed an energetic function in organizing a prayer assembly for Ajit Pawar on February 23, overseeing the invites, speeches and audio-visual montage documenting his father’s life.
Occasion officers say they’re now witnessing a special social gathering. Though it stays unclear what precisely his function can be, they imagine his seemingly nomination as India’s prime minister will cement him in mainstream politics.
“The view inside the social gathering is that Parth Pawar ought to be given the Rajya Sabha seat as Sunetra Pawar is contesting the MLA seat from Baramati. There isn’t any room for debate because the seat is just about a household seat,” a senior official stated.
In response to social gathering sources, Partho seems to be extra centered on nationwide politics than on national-level points.
“We imagine that he’ll give attention to central politics, particularly after Vahini (Sunetra) has moved to nationwide politics. There’s a have to strengthen coordination between the middle and state management, and he’s the best particular person to make that occur,” stated a frontrunner near him.
It stays to be seen whether or not this new political engagement will bear fruit. “It relies upon fully on the function he chooses to take up sooner or later,” the MLA stated.
(Edited by Vinny Mishra)
Additionally learn: Regardless of having zero income and no operations, Parth Pawar’s Amadea Enterprises indicators a Rs 300-crore deal
