Ajit Pawar, the newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra posted a Gurupurnima message on Twitter, days after he rebelled against his uncle and mentor Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party to join the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the state.
“On the occasion of 'Gurupurnima', salutations to all the Gurus who bring the light of knowledge in our lives, develop personality, strengthen the wings of dreams and inculcate virtuous thoughts in us to make us an ideal citizen! Happy 'Guru Purnima' to all!” Pawar tweeted in Marathi.
The tweet comes a day after Pawar joined hands with the BJP against his mentor’s wishes citing that development of the state was the main reason for the step. Sharad Pawar made it clear that this does not sit in with the NCP’s principles.
Ajit Pawar is the son of Sharad Pawar’s brother Anantrao and joined politics and in 1982. He was elected as an MP in 1991 and had even vacated his seat for his uncle – the then defence minister in PV Narasimha Rao’s government.
He was a constant by his uncle’s side since and when Pawar formed his own party NCP in 1999, Ajit Pawar stuck by him. His political career flourished in the next 20 years as he got re-elected every poll from Baramati as an MLA, since 1995. He held important portfolios and ministries and was touted as the heir apparent to NCP.
But problems between the uncle and nephew cropped up in 2019 after Ajit Pawar’s son Maval lost the elections at a NCP stronghold – a big blow to the family and party. Things soured and Ajit Pawar broke away from the party and joined hands with the BJP to become the deputy chief minister for a mere 80 hours when Devendra Fadnavis took oath in a hush hush ceremony post Sena’s split from BJP.
Sena, NCP and Congress joined hands to rule the state, and Pawar was back with his uncle and served as the deputy CM under Uddhav Thackeray from two-and-a-half years before the alliance collapsed in 2022.
In May, Supriya Sule and Praful Patel were appointed as NCP’s working presidents by Sharad Pawar, considered to be a major blow for Ajit Pawar. On Sunday Pawar took oath as deputy chief minister for the fifth time in the state, much to his uncle’s dismay who did not want to join hands with the BJP. He will be sharing the post with Fadnavis.
Ajit Pawar takes oath as second Deputy CM of Maharashtra
Sharad Pawar said of his nephew’s split: “Today’s episode may be new for others, but not for me. We will not fight over anyone saying anything by taking NCP’s name; we will go to people.”
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