Who Is Vitthal Maniyar? The Man Comforting Supriya Sule & Sunetra Pawar After Ajit Pawar’s Death In Plane Crash

Pune: The entire country was shaken on Wednesday after it emerged that a private aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed in his home turf of Baramati, leading to his accidental and untimely death. While the news stunned the nation, the shock appeared deepest for his wife, Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar, and his cousin, Baramati MP Supriya Sule.

Watch Video:

Both Sunetra Pawar and Supriya Sule were in Delhi attending the Budget Session of Parliament, which began on Wednesday itself. On the very first day, proceedings in both houses were disrupted as members mourned the tragic death of the senior Maharashtra leader.

Following President Droupadi Murmu’s joint address to Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and the Rajya Sabha leadership made formal obituary references to the late Deputy Chief Minister, who had also served as a Member of the 10th Lok Sabha, along with other former members.

After news of Ajit Pawar’s demise broke, his nephew Yugendra Pawar, who was in Baramati at the time, arrived first, followed shortly by nephew Rohit Pawar and sons Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar. All were visibly emotional. Sharad Pawar and his wife travelled from Mumbai by helicopter, while Sunetra Pawar and Supriya Sule returned together from Delhi on a private aircraft.

After their arrival, visuals of Sunetra Pawar and Supriya Sule breaking down in tears surfaced, with an unfamiliar man seen consoling the grieving wife and cousin. He was present at the scene from the very beginning and was visible in almost every visual featuring the family. The presence of the man sparked curiosity. He was later identified as businessman Vitthal Seth Maniyar, who was seen standing by the family and offering support during the emotionally charged moments.

Who Is Vitthal Maniyar?

Vitthal Seth Maniyar is a businessman. He is an extremely close and long-time family friend of Sharad Pawar. He has stood by Sharad Pawar since his early days in politics. When Sharad Pawar first entered the political arena, Vitthal Seth was with him. Their friendship spans several decades and remains strong to this day. The way Supriya Sule wept while hugging him shows just how close Vitthal Seth remains to the Pawar family.

In an interview a few years ago, Vitthal Seth recalled his friendship with Sharad Pawar. He mentioned that after enrolling in college, he had contested an election for student representative against Sharad Pawar. "I lost," he said, "but that defeat gave me a great friend. Making friends is easy, but maintaining a friendship until the very end is difficult."

The friendship between Vitthal Maniyar and Sharad Pawar began at the Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC) in Pune. When Maniyar lost the famous elections in BMCC, the following day, Pawar approached a dejected Maniyar and told him, "One doesn't need a position to work for the people." This moment began a lifelong partnership where Maniyar became Pawar’s most trusted non-political confidant.

Maniyar is considered a member of the Pawar family in all but blood. He serves as a trustee for almost all major Pawar-led institutions, including Vidya Pratishtan, Pawar Public Charitable Trust, and others. Despite being at the centre of Maharashtra’s power corridor for over six decades, Maniyar has never contested a political election or sought a government office. He has consistently preferred his role as a "friend, philosopher, and guide".