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Sunday, August 17, 2025
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.

Family, political style, strategy — why Sharad Pawar isn’t attacking rebels, unlike ally Thackeray

Manasi Phadke -
After Eknath Shinde split Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray attacked the rebels tooth and nail. That hasn’t been the case with Sharad Pawar since nephew Ajit Pawar split NCP last month.

‘A tribute to parliamentarians’ & ‘secret meetings’

Namrita -
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‘Tarnishing image of senior Pawar,’ says Shiv Sena (UBT) over frequent meetings of Ajit-Sharad

PTI -
Sharad Pawar, whose NCP is an ally of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress in the state, said his party will not go with BJP though some ‘well-wishers’ are trying to persuade him.

Unsure who to back in Pawar tussle, many NCP MLAs sat on fence throughout assembly session

Purva Chitnis -
Many NCP MLAs barely attended 3-week monsoon session that ended on 4 August. Those who did sit in the House refrained from throwing barbs at each other. 

Uddhav’s Sena frowns as Sharad Pawar greets Modi, shares stage with him in Pune. ‘BJP broke his party’

Manasi Phadke -
Month after split in NCP, party chief attended ceremony where PM received Lokmanya Tilak Award. This comes at a time when opposition parties are building an anti-BJP front for 2024.

Month after Ajit Pawar joined Sena-BJP govt, Congress picks Vijay Wadettiwar as Leader of Opposition

Purva Chitnis -
The senior leader from Vidarbha will take charge in ongoing Maharashtra assembly session, replacing Pawar of NCP. Wadettiwar had briefly held the post in 2019.

Ajit camp meets Sharad Pawar 2 days in a row, NCP chief’s silence keeps both factions on tenterhooks

Purva Chitnis -
The 'impromptu' meetings took place at YB Chavan Centre where Sharad Pawar had gone for work, say MLAs from NCP chief's camp. Praful Patel says they requested him to keep party together.

Maharashtra: 9 NCP rebels rewarded with ministries, leader & Dy CM Ajit Pawar gets finance

ThePrint Team -
These 9 MLAs, along with MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, have been expelled by NCP founder and Ajit Pawar’s uncle Sharad Pawar for anti-party activities.

Corruption isn’t over after 9 yrs of Modi rule. Now it’s just a weapon to make crooks join BJP

+TFP Vir Sanghvi -
Maharashtra political battle shows Indian politics is now dead of ideology and divided into corruption and weaponisation of anti-corruption.

Impasse over Maharashtra cabinet expansion continues, Ajit Pawar wants key portfolios, allies reluctant

Purva Chitnis -
Shinde, Fadnavis & Ajit Pawar met late Tuesday. While Pawar insisted on finance, energy, irrigation & cooperation, the other two are unwilling to part with their offices, it is learnt.
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