Ajit Pawar: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), died today in a plane crash near Baramati. His untimely demise sent shockwaves across political landscape of the state.
This sudden loss also raises critical questions about the future of his party faction, potential reunion with Sharad Pawar and the demise’s ripple effects on the Mahayuti alliance and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) mayor elections.
The Untimely Demise Of Ajit Pawar
The 66-year-old Ajit was travelling on a Learjet that crashed during landing at the Baramati Airport. In 2023, he navigated a dramatic split from Uncle Sharad Pawar’s party after a feud about party ownership to join the BJP-Shiv Sena government.
Mahayuti’s Assembly Strength
The Mahayuti alliance with BJP (132 seats), Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena (57) and Ajit Pawar’s NCP (41) holds a commanding 230 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, well above the 145 majority mark.
If the Ajit NCP decides to go with Sharad Pawar, the Mahayuti Alliance would still have 189 seats, which is above the majority mark.
NCP Reunion Prospects
In 2026 BMC Civic Polls, pre-crash talks of NCP factions of Ajit and Sharad Pawar started gaining traction. Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut predicted Ajit rejoining MVA with Sharad Pawar, but Ajit camp leaders insist on staying NDA-loyal. However, emotional family ties could accelerate reunion after the death of Ajit Pawar.
Impact on State Politics
A NCP shift to Sharad Pawar’s camp could erode Mahayuti’s margins by 41 seats. This would disrupt the dynamics of NDA, weakening the government of the sitting CM Devendra Fadnavis against MVA (Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT and NCP-SP). The fluid politics of Maharashtra could see Sharad Pawar regaining clout in western strongholds, boosting MVA revival ahead of 2029 polls.
BMC Mayor Election Fallout
Ajit Pawar’s NCP contested with Sharad Pawar team. Therefore, it would not have any impact for the BJP (89 seats) and Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena (29 seats). But NCP infighting could distract allies during mayor selection.
Political Situation Of Maharashtra Parties Now
Eknath Shinde could now consolidate Shiv Sena clout in Mahayuti with less NCP rivalry for power share. Uddhav Thackeray may see a MVA boost if NCP reunites, reviving opposition in Mumbai. For Congress, the demise of Ajit Pawar may translate to marginal MVA gains in urban seats.
For Sharad Pawar, the demise of Ajit would translate into the biggest edge as he would now be able to singlehandedly reclaim the NCP legacy. Leveraging a sympathy wave and prior reunion buzz, Sharad Pawar seems to have gained the strongest edge among all political parties in Maharashtra.
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