Ajit Pawar, the nephew of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and a prominent leader in Maharashtra politics, has rapidly ascended the political ladder. After initially venturing into politics by securing a position on a sugar cooperative board in 1982, Pawar quickly rose through the ranks. In 1991, he assumed the role of Chairman of the Pune District Cooperative Bank, a position he held for an impressive 16 years. This period also saw his election as a Member of Parliament from the Baramati constituency, although he later vacated the seat for his uncle. Subsequently, Ajit Pawar became a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Baramati Assembly Constituency.
Having been by Sharad Pawar’s side since the early 1990s, Ajit harbored aspirations of becoming the heir apparent when his uncle parted ways with the Congress and established the NCP in 1999. He has consistently won elections from the Baramati Assembly Constituency in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and previously in 2019, securing impressive victory margins. At the age of 40, he was elevated to the rank of Cabinet Minister in Maharashtra in 1999, following over nine years of service as a junior minister.
Ajit Pawar’s political influence expanded significantly as he assumed important ministerial portfolios, including Irrigation, Rural Development, Water Resources, and Finance. These positions allowed him to wield considerable power and influence across the state, particularly in his stronghold of west Maharashtra.
However, tensions arose within the family in 2019 when Ajit demanded his son’s candidacy in the Maval constituency. It was rumored that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar withdrew his plans to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Madha constituency to make way for Parth’s candidacy in Maval.
As the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar continues to make his mark on the state’s political landscape. With Mumbai as the capital and Ramesh Bais serving as the Governor, Maharashtra remains a key battleground for Ajit Pawar’s ambitions and aspirations.