‘No Matter The Government, He Was Always Maharashtra’s Deputy CM’: Punekars Recall Ajit Pawar’s Political Aura

Pune: Residents of the twin cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have been heartbroken since Wednesday following the accidental and untimely death of their Guardian Minister and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, in a private aircraft crash.

Since the 1990s, Ajit Pawar has shared an intimate bond with Punekars, having personally overseen the development of the district, including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Many residents regarded him as a member of their own family, fondly addressing him as “Dada”, which means “elder brother” in Marathi. Even while serving as Deputy Chief Minister and holding multiple ministerial portfolios in the Maharashtra government, Ajit Pawar’s special connection with Pune district continued.

It ensured that he continued to give the region his personal attention. He regularly visited the area, reviewed ongoing works, interacted with residents, and sought feedback from party workers on the ground.

Speaking about this, a senior civic official based in Pune, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Free Press Journal, “Every Sunday, we used to worry whether Dada would come. He was a very good person at heart, but he was also very strict. He had a way of finding flaws in the work and would scold us, but he always meant well. At times, when the media had their cameras out during his reprimands, he would ask them to keep the cameras away.”

‘It really seems like Pune lost its guardian’

Shekhar Chavan, a resident of Hadapsar, said, “As an avid follower of politics, I have been captivated by Ajit Pawar’s aura since a young age. I have been closely following Maharashtra politics for the last 25 years, a period during which Ajitdada was at the peak of his political career. He served as Guardian Minister and Deputy Chief Minister for a long time. We used to joke that no matter whose government it was, Ajit Pawar would always be the Deputy Chief Minister.”

Pandurang Salvi, a resident of Wakad, said, “Ajit Pawar played a major role in shaping Pimpri-Chinchwad. I came to this area in the early 1990s and worked in the Bhosari MIDC. That was when Ajit Pawar began focusing on the region. Today, the area is unrecognisable -- it is extremely well developed. A large part of the credit for this transformation goes to Ajit Pawar. With his death, Punekars and Pimpri-Chinchwad residents have truly lost their guardian.”

Zoya Qureshi, a resident of Hinjawadi, said, “I remember a social media movement a few months ago highlighting poor road conditions and traffic congestion in the Hinjawadi IT Park. Soon after, Ajit Pawar visited the area one morning, and work began almost immediately. One must agree -- he had that kind of influence.”

‘It seems like a personal loss; I still can't believe it’

Mangesh Yadav, a resident of SB Road, said, “I watch Facebook a lot. The content I consume is mostly Maharashtra politics. Ajit Pawar’s videos always used to surface whenever I opened the social media app. His death feels like a personal loss. Like my own family member died.”

Radha Joshi, a resident of Shivajinagar, said, “Just a day earlier, I had watched his press conference video, and the next morning, my father told me that he had died. I have seen many celebrities and well-known people pass away, but Ajit Pawar’s death feels different. I still can’t believe it. Our family has been a long-time supporter of the Pawar family, and we are still numb with pain.”