Ajit Pawar: Maharashtra's Deputy CM and Sharad Pawar's Nephew
Ajit Pawar, who is the nephew of NCP leader Sharad Pawar, has openly expressed his political ambitions.
Ajit Pawar, who is the nephew of NCP leader Sharad Pawar, has openly expressed his political ambitions. Surprising everyone, he took the oath as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra and joined the government led by Eknath Shinde. This move resulted in a vertical split within the NCP party as eight other leaders also took the oath as ministers. Ajit Pawar's previous political move was in 2019 when he briefly joined hands with the BJP and became deputy CM, but their government lasted only 80 hours.
Ajit Pawar's rise within the NCP started in the early 1990s when he began appearing alongside his uncle. He gained fame within the party and held various ministerial positions, including irrigation, rural development, water resources, and finance. Ajit was known for his ability to get things done and brought new members into the NCP who were loyal to him.
Tensions within the NCP surfaced in 2004 when Ajit publicly criticized the party's decision to give the chief ministership to the Congress. He missed his chance to become chief minister and was appointed as deputy chief minister instead. The entry of Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule into politics in 2009 and the political aspirations of Pawar's grandnephew Rohit caused further tensions within the party.
In 2019, Ajit Pawar resigned as a party legislator, and shortly after, he surprised everyone by being sworn in as deputy chief minister in the Devendra Fadnavis Cabinet. However, that government quickly collapsed, and Ajit returned to the NCP. He has expressed his desire to become the chief minister of Maharashtra in the future, leading to speculation about his ambitions and possible ties with the BJP.
Despite rumors of his potential defection to the BJP, Ajit Pawar denied such claims. Sharad Pawar has met with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to address the situation. Ajit Pawar had previously expressed his willingness to step down as the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
These recent developments have also highlighted the rivalry between Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, and NCP Maharashtra President Jayant Patil within the NCP. The reactions of the NCP and Sharad Pawar to these events are still unknown, as politics can be unpredictable.
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