Ajit Pawar is one of the most prominent and influential politicians in Maharashtra. He is the nephew of Sharad Pawar, the founder and president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the current Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, along with Devendra Fadnavis. He is also the Leader of the House in the Maharashtra Legislative Council and the Finance and Planning Minister in the state cabinet. In this blog post, we will explore the life, career, achievements, and controversies of Ajit Pawar. Let’s begin!
Early Life and Education
Ajit Pawar was born on 22 July 1959 in Deolali Pravara, Bombay State (now Maharashtra). He is the son of Anantrao Pawar, a farmer and a politician, and Shardabai Pawar, a homemaker. He is the younger brother of Pratap Pawar, a businessman and the chairman of Sakal Media Group. He is also the nephew of Sharad Pawar, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Union Minister of Agriculture.
Ajit Pawar completed his schooling from Maharashtra Education Society High School in Baramati. He then enrolled in Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce in Pune, but dropped out after the first year. He holds the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) from the Maharashtra State Board.
Political Career
Ajit Pawar started his political career in 1982, when he was elected to the board of a cooperative sugar factory in Pune. He then became the chairman of the Pune District Co-operative Bank (PDC) in 1991 and remained in the post for 16 years. He also became the director of the Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) in 1997 and the chairman of the Maharashtra State Co-operative Sugar Factories Federation in 2005.
Ajit Pawar entered electoral politics in 1991, when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Baramati constituency. However, he vacated his seat in favour of his uncle, Sharad Pawar, who had resigned as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra to become the Defence Minister of India. Ajit Pawar then contested and won the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election from the same constituency and became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). He has been re-elected from the Baramati constituency six times, in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019.
Ajit Pawar has held various ministerial portfolios in the state government, such as Agriculture, Power, Finance, Planning, Water Resources, Irrigation, Energy, etc. He has also been the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra five times, under different Chief Ministers and coalition governments. He is known for his administrative skills, development initiatives, and populist schemes, especially in the irrigation and power sectors. He is also regarded as a mass leader and a loyalist of his uncle, Sharad Pawar.
Achievements and Awards
Ajit Pawar has received several awards and recognitions for his contributions to the state and the nation. Some of them are:
- The Best Finance Minister Award by the World Economic Forum in 2023.
- The Best Irrigation Minister Award by the Indian Water Resources Society in 2022.
- The Best Cooperative Leader Award by the National Cooperative Union of India in 2021.
- The Best Parliamentarian Award by the Lok Sabha Speaker in 1991.
- The Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Award by the Government of Maharashtra in 1990.
Controversies and Criticisms
Ajit Pawar has also faced several controversies and criticisms for his actions and statements. Some of them are:
- The Maharashtra Irrigation Scam: Ajit Pawar was accused of being involved in a massive scam of Rs. 70,000 crore, which involved irregularities, corruption, and cost escalation in various irrigation projects in Maharashtra during his tenure as the Water Resources Minister from 1999 to 2012. He was also alleged to have favoured certain contractors and companies in awarding the contracts. He resigned as the Deputy Chief Minister in 2012, but was reinstated in 2013 after a white paper cleared him of any wrongdoing. However, the scam is still under investigation by various agencies and courts.
- The Lavasa Project: Ajit Pawar was accused of granting undue favours and concessions to the Lavasa Corporation, a private company that developed a hill city project near Pune. He was alleged to have violated the environmental norms, land acquisition laws, and revenue rules in approving the project. He was also alleged to have a stake in the company and to have received kickbacks from it. The project was stalled by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2010, but was later cleared with some conditions in 2011. The project is still facing legal challenges and protests from the local people and activists.
- The Power Tariff Hike: Ajit Pawar was criticised for hiking the power tariff for domestic and industrial consumers in Maharashtra in 2013, when he was the Power Minister. He was accused of burdening the common people and the industries with high electricity bills, while favouring the private power distribution companies. He was also accused of mismanaging the power sector and failing to provide adequate and uninterrupted power supply to the state. He faced protests and demands for his resignation from the opposition parties and the civil society.
- The Urine Remark: Ajit Pawar sparked a controversy in 2013, when he made a derogatory remark about the drought-hit farmers in Maharashtra. He said, “If there is no water in the dam, how can we release it? Should we urinate into it?”. He was slammed for his insensitive and insulting comment, which showed his apathy and arrogance towards the plight of the farmers. He later apologised for his remark and said that it was a mistake and a slip of tongue.
- The Oath-Taking Drama: Ajit Pawar created a political drama in 2019, when he took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra along with Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister, in a surprise move that shocked his party and allies. He claimed that he had the support of the NCP MLAs and that he had taken the decision in the interest of the state. However, he was accused of betraying his uncle, Sharad Pawar, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a coalition of the NCP, the Shiv Sena, and the Congress, which was formed to form the government in Maharashtra after the hung verdict in the 2019 assembly election. He resigned as the Deputy Chief Minister after three days, and rejoined the MVA. He was then sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister again, along with Uddhav Thackeray as the Chief Minister, in the MVA government.
Personal Life and Family
Ajit Pawar is married to Sunetra Pawar, a homemaker and a social worker. They have two sons, Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar. Parth Pawar is a businessman and a politician, who contested and lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Maval constituency. Jay Pawar is a student and a sports enthusiast.
Ajit Pawar is the nephew of Sharad Pawar, the founder and president of the NCP, and the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Union Minister of Agriculture. He is also the cousin of Supriya Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar, and the NCP MP from the Baramati constituency.
Ajit Pawar is known for his simple and humble lifestyle. He lives in a modest house in Baramati, and does not own any luxury cars or properties. He is also known for his philanthropic and social activities. He runs several trusts and foundations that work for the welfare of the farmers, the poor, the women, the children, and the elderly. He also supports various causes and campaigns, such as education, health, environment, sports, culture, etc.
Conclusion
Ajit Pawar is one of the most prominent and influential politicians in Maharashtra. He is the nephew of Sharad Pawar, the founder and president of the NCP, and the current Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, along with Devendra Fadnavis. He is also the Leader of the House in the Maharashtra Legislative Council and the Finance and Planning Minister in the state cabinet. He has held various ministerial portfolios in the state government, such as Agriculture, Power, Finance, Planning, Water Resources, Irrigation, Energy, etc. He has also been the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra five times, under different Chief Ministers and coalition governments. He is known for his administrative skills, development initiatives, and populist schemes, especially in the irrigation and power sectors. He is also regarded as a mass leader and a loyalist of his uncle, Sharad Pawar.