In a fictional incident that shook Maharashtra's politics, it is reported that the state's Deputy Chief Minister and senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Ajit Pawar, died in a plane crash in Baramati. Around 8:45 AM today, while landing at Baramati airport, their chartered plane met with a severe accident. The intensity of the accident was such that all six people on board are said to have died on the spot. Ajit Pawar was arriving in Baramati for the district council election campaign.
Ajit Pawar was a distinct name in Maharashtra's politics. Known as 'Dada', this leader, despite being at the center of power for the past four decades, could not fulfill the dream of becoming Chief Minister. His identity was straightforward stances, decisive decisions, administrative grip, and strong hold over workers. His sudden departure has spread mourning across the state.
Ajit Pawar, who entered politics from the cooperative sector, received his first cabinet ministerial position in 1999. He effectively managed the important portfolios of irrigation and horticulture. However, 2004 proved to be a decisive year in his political career. In the assembly elections held that year, the Nationalist Congress Party won 71 seats, while the Congress won 69 seats. Yet, in a political compromise, the chief ministership went to the Congress, and Vilasrao Deshmukh became the chief minister. This decision dealt a major blow to Ajit Pawar's ambitions for the chief ministership.
In exchange for the Chief Minister's position, the Nationalist Congress Party accepted two cabinet positions and one additional Minister of State position. At that time, Ajit Pawar was given the portfolios of Water Resources, Water Supply, and Sanitation. “Giving up the Chief Minister's position in 2004 was the biggest mistake of the Nationalist Congress Party,” Ajit Pawar later expressed this regret many times. It was said in political circles that even when the Chief Minister's position was within reach, the missed opportunity remained a constant regret in his mind.
In 2008, their ambition for the Chief Minister's position came into discussion again. However, instead of them, Chhagan Bhujbal was chosen for the Deputy Chief Minister's position. In 2010, after the 'Adarsh scam', Bhujbal had to resign, and Ajit Pawar became the Deputy Chief Minister. However, it became clear that at that time, Sharad Pawar's first choice was not Ajit Pawar but another leader, which is said to have deepened the resentment in Ajit Dada's mind.
Meanwhile, in 2009, Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule entered politics. After her entry from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, discussions about 'who is the true heir of the party?' gained momentum. In the future, if someone from the Nationalist Congress becomes the Chief Minister, Supriya Sule's name will be put forward, such discussions were also ongoing in political circles. It is said that this dealt another hidden blow to Ajit Pawar's ambitions.
In 2012, due to allegations of an irrigation scam, Ajit Pawar had to resign. However, within a few months, he took the oath of office as Deputy Chief Minister again. In 2019, Rohit Pawar won from Karjat–Jamkhed, while Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar was defeated in the Maval Lok Sabha constituency. This result fueled discussions that Ajit Pawar was displeased.
The 'early morning oath-taking' that occurred after the 2019 assembly elections became the most dramatic phase in their political journey. By taking the oath as Deputy Chief Minister with Devendra Fadnavis, they caused a major political upheaval. However, due to Sharad Pawar's diplomacy, they returned to the party. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government was formed, Uddhav Thackeray became the Chief Minister, and Ajit Pawar had to be content with the Deputy Chief Minister position again—even then, the Chief Minister position eluded them.
In 2023, there was another major upheaval in the state's politics. Ajit Pawar joined hands with the BJP and entered power. At that time, discussions about the Chief Minister's position resurfaced, but in reality, he only got the Deputy Chief Minister's position. In 2024, he publicly admitted his ambition by saying, “I want to be Chief Minister, but I repeatedly get stuck with the Deputy Chief Minister's position.” The news of his death in this plane crash has plunged the entire Maharashtra into mourning. Although the dream of becoming Chief Minister remained unfulfilled, the mark Ajit Pawar left on Maharashtra's politics will always be remembered, as expressed by all levels.