Ajit Pawar death: Family bonds endure in Baramati - Pawars always kept politics and personal life separate

• Ajit Pawar aimed to reunite NCP factions before his death in a helicopter crash.
• He respected Sharad Pawar despite leading a party split in 2023.
• Family bonds remained strong, with personal support shown during times of grief.

Did our AI summary help?

In a poignant disclosure made just a fortnight before his untimely death, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had revealed that his immediate political goal was to reunite the fractured factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The 66-year-old leader had expressed a desire to heal the rift under the blessings of his uncle and party founder, Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, described himself as indebted to his uncle for bringing him into public life. He recounted being impressed by Sharad Pawar’s style of politics from childhood and attempting to follow in his footsteps throughout his career, the report stated.

For over four decades, Ajit Pawar was widely perceived as the political heir to his uncle’s legacy, operating primarily within Maharashtra’s state politics.

This dynamic was irrevocably altered in July 2023 when he led a majority of NCP MLAs to join the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, the Mahayuti, splitting the party his uncle built. The subsequent electoral battles, particularly in the Pawar family stronghold of Baramati, were framed as a direct “Pawar vs Pawar” contest.

Despite the high-stakes political schism, those close to the family emphasised that the rivalry never descended into personal bitterness. The enduring strength of familial bonds was starkly visible on Wednesday at Ajit Pawar’s residence in Baramati.

As family members gathered in mourning, his mother lay on a bed, flanked by his sister, while Sharad Pawar’s wife, Pratibha Pawar, reportedly stood nearby with other relatives offering support. The gathering, closed to the media, presented a picture of shared grief transcending political divisions.

Sources indicated that even after the split, a mutual respect for elders was meticulously maintained. Ajit Pawar reportedly protested when senior Mahayuti coalition members made personal remarks against Sharad Pawar during the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign.

Furthermore, shortly after the 2023 split, he visited his aunt at ‘Silver Oak’, Sharad Pawar’s Mumbai residence, when she underwent surgery — a gesture underscoring the separation of political and personal spheres.

Long-time observers from Baramati recalled Ajit Pawar’s earlier role as a dedicated mentor within the family. Local resident Sachin Satav noted that when Sharad Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule, entered politics, Ajit Pawar would visit every village to personally ensure she garnered support.