Holding Sharad Pawar’s Finger, He Took His First Step in Politics, Here’s How He Became ‘Dada’ of the People”
Ajit Pawar Death Update: A tragic piece of news from Maharashtra on Wednesday morning shocked everyone. NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash, plunging leaders and the public into mourning. Everyone is deeply saddened by his death. The accident occurred during the landing of the plane in Baramati.
Five people, including Ajit Pawar, died in the crash. Ajit Pawar, who had become a central figure in Maharashtra politics, was considered a grassroots leader with a strong hold on the public. Therefore, everyone wants to know more about him. Below, you can learn how Ajit Pawar, often called the uncrowned king of politics, became such a popular leader among the people of Maharashtra.
Ajit Pawar rose to prominence in politics with the blessings of Sharad Pawar.
Ajit Pawar, a six-time Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had a long political career. He started his political journey under the guidance of his uncle, Sharad Pawar. From the beginning, Sharad Pawar was very fond of his nephew, Ajit Pawar. It was in 1982 that Sharad Pawar encouraged Ajit Pawar to enter politics.
At that time, Ajit was pursuing his primary education. Sharad Pawar had already gained immense power in state politics. After entering politics, he first contested and won an election to the board of a cooperative sugar factory. He was then elected as the chairman of the Pune Cooperative Bank. Ajit Pawar, popularly known as Dada, served in this position for 16 years. The year 1991 broughtmorer good news for him.
First elected as an MP in 1991
Ajit Pawar benefited from Sharad Pawar’s growing influence in Maharashtra politics and the party’s strong grassroots support. At his uncle’s behest, he contested the Lok Sabha elections from Baramati for the first time in 1991 and won with a huge margin. A few days later, he vacated the seat for his uncle, Sharad Pawar.
Sharad Pawar then became the Union Defence Minister in the P.V. Narasimha Rao government at the centre. This was the period when Sharad Pawar became active in national politics, and Ajit Pawar took charge of the party in Maharashtra. He succeeded in strengthening the party from the grassroots level to the booth level and in establishing himself as Sharad Pawar’s successor.
When was he first elected as an MLA?
Ajit Pawar was first elected as an MLA from the Baramati constituency in Pune in 1995. He has been continuously elected from this seat ever since. He was elected from Baramati in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024. His popularity grew to such an extent that he became a well-known figure throughout Maharashtra, affectionately known as Ajit Dada.