Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Pune District’s Guardian Minister, Ajit Pawar, was a widely admired political figure across the country. Known for his secular outlook rooted in the ‘Shiv–Shahu–Phule–Ambedkar’ ideology, Pawar’s remarks and public interactions were often eagerly anticipated. Beyond policy announcements and headline-making decisions, he had a rare ability to bring smiles through his speeches.
Known for his candid persona and spontaneous references, Ajit Pawar could lighten even the most serious atmosphere. Though his remarks were sometimes controversial, many were quick to defend him, saying, “Ajit Pawar was a pure-hearted soul who never meant harm. It was an innocent comment made in the heat of the moment.”
The whole country has been silent since the news regarding Ajit Pawar’s death was reported on Wednesday morning. A private plane carrying him and five others was reported to have crashed in Baramati while landing. A total of six people, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, died.
With times like these making everybody sad, Ajit Pawar was one of the leaders who taught us an easy approach to life. He rarely made a huge fuss about anything and had a very casual approach to dealing with things.
As our beloved ‘Dada’ made all of us cry by taking a sudden exit from this world, here are some moments where Ajit Pawar made all of us laugh:
1) The Huge Dam Controversy: One of the most controversial moments in Ajit Pawar's political career was his "dam comment" made in April 2013 at a public rally in Indapur, Pune. Although it garnered huge controversy, which made Ajit Pawar say that it was the biggest mistake of his political career, it made all the attendees at the rally laugh.
At the time of his speech, Maharashtra was facing a severe drought, and a farmer named Prabhakar Deshmukh from Solapur had been on a hunger strike at Mumbai's Azad Maidan for over 50 days. He was demanding the release of water from the Ujani dam. In response to the hunger strike, Ajit Pawar said, "He has been on a fast for the last 55 days. If there is no water in the dam, how can we release it? Should we urinate into it? If there is no water to drink, even urination is not possible."
In the same speech, he made another off-colour joke about power outages, saying, "I have also come to know that there is a shortage of electricity in Maharashtra. Every night, the electricity cut is being witnessed, and since then, the population has been increasing. People have nothing to do without electricity.”
2) ‘Main Toh Lene Wala Hun’: During the formation of the Mahayuti government after getting a significant majority in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Elections and subsequent cabinet shuffles, there were reports about former CM Eknath Shinde being unhappy with the demotion he was facing as Devendra Fadnavis was confirmed to be the Chief Minister.
Shinde was asked whether you will take the oath of Deputy CM, to which he started vaguely replying. Ajit Pawar intervened and said, “I don't know about anyone else, but I am going to take the oath.” This made the atmosphere light.
Shinde’s comments made the situation funnier, as he said that Dada had experience taking oaths in the morning and evening, as he was referencing the famous early morning oath ceremony, which went wrong in 2019.
3) Ajit Pawar’s Marathi Song Reference: While appreciating MLA Anna Bansode’s work in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Ajit Pawar famously remarked, “Anna may be short in stature, but his work is big.” As former MLA Vilas Lande was seated behind him, Pawar added with a smile, “This man has a big stature -- don’t ask about the work.” He then quoted a popular village saying, “Gadi angann ubha ni adawa, tyaachya rupaat gaavran godava.”
Ajit Pawar was referencing the famous Marathi song Disla Ga Bai Disla from the film Pinjara, which describes a tall, broad-built man with a striking appearance. The light-hearted remark drew laughter from the audience and added a humorous touch to the occasion.
4) ‘I’m Old, I Can't Bring Students’: While addressing a gathering regarding the management of local educational institutions in Kharalwadi in Pune, he famously quipped, "I've been told about this college in Kharalwadi... they say they need more students. Look, I’ve reached an age where I can’t personally go and 'bring' students to your college anymore. If I were younger, I would have handled it differently, but now you have to do your own work!"
5) The "I Love You" Rebuff: Just a couple of weeks before his passing, during a rally in Pimpri-Chinchwad, an enthusiastic worker shouted, "Dada, we love you!" Ajit Pawar replied to him on stage, saying, "Keep that 'I love you' for your wife at home! Here, just make sure you press the 'Clock' button on the voting machine. That’s the only love I need right now." The crowd erupted in laughter as he managed to turn a sentimental moment into a sharp political instruction.
6) The "Baldness" Self-Roast: During a campaign speech in Rajgurunagar, a supporter tried to give him advice on how he should speak or present himself by sending him a chit saying the turban is not good. Ajit Pawar looked at the note and said, "Look at me, I’ve lost all my hair (takkal) in this politics, and yet people still try to teach me! Now, should I listen to you or look at my own experience?" He used this self-deprecating joke to show that he was a seasoned veteran who couldn't be easily swayed.
7) ‘It Doesn’t Go Out of the Mind’: After the Mahayuti government was formed in 2024, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar addressed a press conference in Mumbai. As Shinde began the briefing, he playfully remarked that “the seating sequence has changed a bit.” Ajit Pawar was quick to respond, teasing Shinde by saying, “It doesn’t go out of one’s mind,” drawing laughter at the light-hearted exchange.
8) Jibe at Rohit Pawar & Jayant Patil: While speaking at an event in Sangli, Ajit Pawar’s nephew, Rohit Pawar, made a sarcastic remark, suggesting that Ajit Pawar should also pay attention to his family. When Ajit Pawar later took the stage, he responded with his trademark wit, saying, “Some people say Dada focuses on the village and not the family. It’s only because I paid attention to you that you became an MLA! Ask Jayant Patil how many votes you won because of postal ballots. So don’t mess with me; you do your work, and I’ll do mine.”
At the same event, as the host praised Jayant Patil’s looks during the introduction, Ajit Pawar once again took the microphone and joked, “They called Jayant Patil a ‘handsome’ leader, but what about me? Am I not good-looking? You invite us all the way to Walva, Jayant Patil’s stronghold, just to wash us out without even using water?”
9) Boys vs. Girls Comparison: After the 10th and 12th Board Results were announced in Maharashtra last year, and Ajit Pawar famously said in a speech, "Whenever the results come out, the girls are always at the top. They are the ones securing the first, second, and third ranks. And what are our boys doing? They are busy wandering the streets, riding bikes with no purpose, and looking at the girls. Look at the girls; they are focused, they are studying, and they are moving ahead. You boys need to stop staring and start picking up your books, or you’ll be left far behind while the sisters of this state run everything!" Although it was appreciated, people laughed at the way he delivered the scolding nonetheless.
10) Making His Point Clear on Narayan Rane: After Eknath Shinde’s rebellion and before Ajit Pawar joined the Mahayuti, he made a pointed remark during a speech, saying, “History shows that whoever breaks a party or leaves it is sent home by the people. Look at what happened to Bhujbal Saheb. Look at Rane -- he lost twice. He lost in Konkan and then in Mumbai. In Mumbai, a woman defeated him. A woman defeated him,” Pawar said, playfully emphasising his point.
Although the remark drew criticism at the time for being misogynistic, it nevertheless evoked laughter from the audience on stage, reflecting Pawar’s trademark blunt and provocative speaking style.
