Ajit Pawar: The sudden demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on January 28 has turned a succession battle into a full-blown existential test for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with his family stature, legacy and Maharashtra’s balance of power all on the line.
Ajit Pawar-Legacy And The Vacuum
Ajit Pawar leaves behind a formidable but fractured political legacy built over three decades of controlling key ministries, shaping coalitions and dominating Baramati and western Maharashtra.
His untimely death in the Baramati plane crash has created not just an emotional void for the cadre, but also a structural vacuum in the ruling alliance and within both factions of the NCP (one that was led by Ajit Pawar and one by Sharad Pawar).
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Will Sunetra Pawar Step Back?
Sunetra Pawar, the widow of Ajit Pawar, now finds herself at the centre of speculation. But the big question is – would she shoulder direct political responsibility, or retreat into a guiding, moral-anchor role for the next generation?
Can Praful Patel Step Up?
Praful Patel, veteran NCP leader and close aide to the Pawar clan, may automatically emerge as one of the most plausible heirs to organizational control of NCP. Praful has national-level experience, a glowing reputation for managing backroom deals and corporate connections, all of which matter immensely in an era of coalition compulsions and central agencies.
However, Praful Patel does not command a mass base in the state as Ajit Pawar used to enjoy. Resistance from both voters and cadre could trigger if Praful Patel is perceived as someone overreaching or sidelining the Pawar family. In most likelihood, he may emerge as a strategist and power-broker instead of being an undisputed face of the party.
Space For An Underdog Or New Kingmaker
The present-day political scenario in NCP and Maharashtra opens doors even for second-tier leaders who have a solid base in Western Maharashtra’s cooperative sector, sugar mills and local bodies. A leader who can cleverly reconfigure the NDA alliance, reassure the cadre and still invoke Ajit Pawar’s development plank could quickly turn into a new kingmaker.
Ideally, Sunetra or another Pawar scion should provide emotional legitimacy, Patel should handle Delhi and corporate channels and a lesser-known but ambitious leader should become the party’s campaign spearhead on the ground. What would happen next is for everyone to guess?
