Ajit Pawar No More: 'Lost Strong Leader & Outstanding Colleague' - Uddhav-Raj, Aaditya Thackeray Mourn Dada's Untimely Death In Baramati

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday, January 28, condoled Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash, and said even though the NCP chief chose a different path in politics, he did not let their relationship suffer. Thackeray said that he lost a strong leader and an outstanding colleague.

Calling him a highly disciplined leader, he appreciated that he had firm control over his departments and possessed deep knowledge of the finance portfolio. Ajit Pawar had served as deputy CM in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government from 2019 to 2022. However, he broke away from the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in 2023 and joined the BJP-led NDA, a move which split the Nationalist Congress Party.

"We developed a special bond as colleagues. Ajit Pawar was open-hearted. He would speak his mind. He was not someone who held a grudge for long. Even though he chose a different path in politics, he did not let our relationship break," Uddhav Thackeray wrote in his post on X (formerly Twitter).

Another Sena UBT leader, Aaditya Thackeray, described Pawar's death as shocking. "Words fail me," he described, adding that, "his commanding grip on legislative affairs and his affectionate nature won over many like me."

Raj Thackeray, president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, expressed deep sorrow over the loss, remembering Ajit Pawar as both a personal friend and an extraordinary political figure. “Ajit Pawar and I entered politics around the same time, though our acquaintance came much later. Yet, on the strength of his sheer passion for politics, he made remarkable strides in Maharashtra,” Raj Thackeray said.

He noted that while Ajit Pawar was initially shaped by Sharad Pawar, he eventually carved out his own identity, leaving a lasting impact across the state. Thackeray highlighted Ajit Pawar’s role in navigating the shifting dynamics of Maharashtra’s politics during the 1990s, when rapid urbanisation began transforming rural areas.

“Ajit Pawar had a complete grasp of this kind of politics and the skill to handle it adeptly. Pimpri Chinchwad and Baramati are two excellent examples of that. Whether it was Pimpri Chinchwad or Baramati, Ajit Dada transformed these regions in ways that even his political opponents would acknowledge,” Raj Thackeray added.

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