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Monday, January 12, 2026
TopicAjit Pawar

Topic: Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar, popularly called Ajit Dada, is a prominent Maharashtra politician, and nephew of Sharad Pawar, the co-founder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and former union minister.

In 2023, Ajit Pawar, along with some MLAs, split from the NCP and joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the state. He then went on to serve as a co-deputy CM along with the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis under CM Eknath Shinde. A year prior to this, Ajit Pawar was the leader of the opposition in the state assembly and the finance minister for three years under the then MVA government of the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. Pawar has a history of defections; in 2019, too, he defected from the party to become the Deputy CM under Fadnavis, which lasted just a few days.

Ajit Pawar is an MLA from Baramati, a family constituency for the Pawars. He has represented Baramati in the Vidhan Sabha since 1995, and previously served as Minister of State for Agriculture and Power, Minister of State for Soil Conservation, Power, and Planning in 1992, and Cabinet Minister responsible for the Irrigation Department in 1999.

Once staunch rivals, now allies, Mahayuti wobbles as seat-sharing tensions build month before polls

Purva Chitnis -
At least 6 Lok Sabha seats including Baramati are learnt to be causing trouble between Maharashtra's ruling alliance partners BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

‘Won’t recognition to Ajit Pawar faction go against anti-defection law?’ — SC on EC’s NCP ruling

Bhadra Sinha -
Earlier this month, a CJI-led bench had made similar observation in Shiv Sena dispute. SC directs Ajit Pawar to declare that 'clock' symbol is sub judice.

Focus on infra, culture — highlights from Maharashtra interim budget & Opposition’s criticism

Purva Chitnis -
Ahead of assembly polls & general elections, Ajit Pawar announces museum on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj & Marathi language centres. Opposition says budget made 'keeping polls in mind'.

Narwekar repeats Sena decision to rule Ajit Pawar faction as ‘real NCP’, MVA slams ‘copy paste’ order

Purva Chitnis -
Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar's verdict was based on legislative strength of the 2 NCP factions and followed EC’s ruling on the party name and symbol.

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Political timing or a new era? NCP’s clock symbol holds significance for both Pawar factions

Manasi Phadke -
For Sharad Pawar faction, it is a personification of their leader himself, while for nephew Ajit Pawar's, it signifies changing times. ECI Tuesday gave the clock symbol to Ajit's faction.

Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction gets new name, it’s now Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar

Purva Chitnis -
Election Commission allotted the new name a day after it recognised Ajit Pawar faction as the real NCP. New name is only for Rajya Sabha polls this month, the poll body says.

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EC recognises Ajit Pawar-faction as official NCP on basis of ‘legislative majority’, allots symbol

Purva Chitnis -
Comes a year after the body recognised Eknath Shinde’s faction as the official Shiv Sena. Sharad Pawar faction calls it ‘murder of democracy’.

After poll loss & hiatus, Parth Pawar back in action, helping dad Ajit strengthen NCP base in Pune

Manasi Phadke -
Parth had unsuccessfully contested 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Maval after Sharad Pawar bowed out to make way for his grand-nephew. He was Pawar family's 1st member to lose an election.
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