- Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati with all onboard
- Pawar's death affects NCP factions and Maharashtra's political power dynamics
- Past political leaders Mahajan, Munde, and Deshmukh also died suddenly impacting state politics
Maharashtra lost its longest-serving deputy chief minister on Wednesday after a plane carrying Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar crash-landed near Baramati, killing all on board. Known fondly as "Ajit Dada" to his relatives and supporters, Pawar was seen to be an alternative power centre within the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Maharashtra. His sudden death will impact Maharashtra politics, especially the two factions of the NCP, which were believed by many to be on the verge of reuniting.
Ajit Pawar's death is the latest in a string of abrupt deaths that have blighted Maharashtra's politics for years. The last two decades witnessed three stalwarts-- Pramod Mahajan, Vilasrao Deshmukh and Gopinath Munde-- die tragically, changing the course of state and national politics.
Maharashtra's Sudden Change Of Guards
Pramod Mahajan
Pramod Mahajan, the charismatic BJP leader and former Union Minister, was at the peak of his career when he was shot dead by his brother on May 3, 2006. At the time, he was seen as the most articulate and resourceful face of the BJP -- a kingmaker. Within the party, he was seen as first among equals after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Rajnath Singh.
In his book, 'Bombay After Ayodhya: A City in Flux', author-journalist Jitendra Dixit has reproduced an off-the-record conversation in which some journalists questioned Mahajan, who could be the next prime ministerial face in the post-Vajpayee-Advani era. He replied glibly, "Who else is the option?"
In his autobiography, 'Majha Album', Pravin Mahajan, Mahajan's younger brother who shot him, also noted that the BJP leader had ambitions of becoming Prime Minister.
After his untimely death, Mahajan was widely eulogised as a "gadget-obsessed moderniser of Indian politics" and "India's first modern spin doctor" who also possessed unparalleled "organisational and tactical skills". Such distinctions bestowed upon him after his death highlighted his unique role in making the BJP "a lot more compatible with the digital age" before other parties caught on.
Gopinath Munde
If Mahajan was Chanakya for the BJP, his close friend and brother-in-law Gopinath Munde was Chandragupta. Together, the duo were often credited for changing the face of Maharashtra politics and, to a certain extent, the BJP as well.
Before the 1980s, Maharashtra's politics was dominated by Marathas, with the likes of Sharad Pawar and Yashvantrao Chavan playing pivotal roles. But Munde targeted that dominance. Moulded by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's inclusive politics, he did not limit himself to caste politics and reached out to the masses. And among other constructive moves, his decision to tie up with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra in 1995 proved to be a masterstroke, capsizing the Congress government and bringing the BJP-Sena to power.
Munde died on June 3, 2014, in a car crash in the capital, Delhi. He had just been appointed Rural Development Minister and was on his way to the airport to take a flight to his home state when his car was hit by another vehicle. His death left the BJP without a strong face in Maharashtra for some time.
Vilasrao Deshmukh
Across the aisle, Congress lost its anchor in Maharashtra after the sudden death of two-time Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in 2012. Deshmukh was one of the shrewdest politicians Maharashtra has ever seen. Born on May 26, 1945, to a rich farmer, Dagdojirao, at Babhalgaon in Latur district, Deshmukh was the first person to ask for a farmer loan waiver during the first Congress-led UPA government.
It was one of the issues that helped the UPA to return to power in 2009. Deshmukh had his fair share of controversies as well, with the Adarsh swindle and his resignation post the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Political experts said Deshmukh's astute and thorough knowledge of Maharashtra helped him rise through the ranks quickly. Serving as Science and Technology Minister in the UPA government, Deshmukh was looking forward to a return to Maharashtra politics when he was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2012. He was flown by air ambulance from Mumbai to Chennai's Global Hospital for a liver transplant, but before the surgery, he suffered multiple-organ failure and died on August 14, 2012. He was 67.
The Congress has yet to find a leader of Deshmukh's calibre in Maharashtra, characterised by a strong grassroots base, administrative acumen, and the ability to bridge different factional interests.
Pawar's Death
Ajit Anantrao Pawar, 66, was a dominant force in state politics, known for his administrative efficiency, blunt speaking style, and his recent role in reshaping the state's political landscape. He represented the Baramati Assembly constituency seven consecutive times since 1991, winning by massive margins every time. His power base was rooted in Maharashtra's cooperative sector.
Pawar served as the chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank (PDC) for 16 years and has immense influence over sugar cooperatives and milk unions. He had held almost every major ministerial portfolio in Maharashtra, including Water Resources, Power, and Rural Development, under various Chief Ministers (Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, and Uddhav Thackeray).
Ajit Pawar's political relevance was defined by his willingness to take bold and controversial risks. In a shocking move, he took oath as Deputy Chief Minister with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis in an early morning ceremony in November 2019. The government lasted only 80 hours before he returned to his uncle, Sharad Pawar. In July 2023, he led a major vertical split in the NCP, joining the Eknath Shinde-led government. This move effectively challenged the 25-year leadership of his uncle and mentor, Sharad Pawar.
This tragic accident has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra and the nation, with people across party lines mourning his loss. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut recalled Ajit Pawar's works, lauding his stronghold over administration. He said that Pawar was known as a minister who came fully prepared to cabinet meetings.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde said Pawar's death was a personal loss. "A workaholic leader, an able administrator and one who is always known for punctuality is no more. He has contributed a lot to the state and also to the government. I have lost an elder brother," he said.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called his death an "untimely loss of a leader who had a long and promising political career ahead."
