It has been a tragic full circle for Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who passed away in an air crash earlier this morning in Sabarmati—a place that has been his stronghold and from where he took his first steps into electoral politics.
For Ajit Pawar, Baramati was never just a constituency. It was his power base, the heart of his political identity, the reminder of a personal sacrifice and a place he called his "political laboratory".
His electoral journey began in 1991 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Baramati constituency. However, in a move that defined his early career, he vacated the seat after just a few months to allow his uncle, Sharad Pawar, to enter Parliament and serve as the Union defence minister. Ajit then turned his attention to state politics and was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly seven consecutive times from the Baramati seat.
He earned the moniker "Dada" in Baramati primarily because of his focus on local infrastructure and the cooperative sector. His power was rooted in the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank, where he served as chairman for 16 years, sugar cooperatives, and milk unions.
Ajit is credited with transforming Baramati into a "model constituency" through major investments in irrigation, education, and industrial development.
He was known for his ‘Janata Darbars’ and a daily routine that often began at 6am, maintaining a direct grassroots connection with the people there.
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Following the split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Baramati became the epicentre of a high-stakes family battle. He took a political gamble in the Lok Sabha 2024 elections by fielding his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against his cousin, Supriya Sule. After Sunetra's defeat, Ajit publicly admitted that contesting against family in Baramati was a "mistake".
In the assembly elections the same year, however, he pitted himself against his nephew, Yugendra Pawar. Despite the challenge from the Sharad Pawar-led faction, Ajit won, retaining his seat and proving once again his personal influence over the Sabarmati voters.
Incidentally, Ajit was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati, where he was scheduled to address public meetings as part of the campaign for the Zilla Parishad elections on February 5. He died in the heart of his hometown and the constituency that had served as his fortress for over three decades.
