• Source:JND

Sharad Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), visited the residence of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Sunetra Pawar, in Baramati on Wednesday to pay his respects following the tragic death of his nephew, Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash last week. In the presence of various members of the Pawar family, the senior Pawar laid floral tributes before a portrait of Ajit Pawar.

Having arrived from Govind Baug, Sharad Pawar appeared visibly affected by the loss. Assisted by security personnel, he slowly approached the portrait of his late nephew, bowing his head in a silent and heart-wrenching tribute. This emotional moment brought tears to the eyes of the entire family and the supporters who had gathered. Afterward, Sharad Pawar spent time with the family at a prayer meeting (Shok Sabha) and spoke with citizens and party workers who had come to offer their condolences.

The visit comes amid growing speculation regarding the potential reunification of the two factions of the NCP, a topic that has been the subject of discussion for several months.

Sharad Pawar had arrived in Baramati late on Tuesday night and later visited Sahyog Society, where a condolence meeting was organised following Ajit Pawar’s untimely death, according to news agency PTI.

However, it remains unclear whether Sharad Pawar had any direct meeting with Sunetra Pawar, who assumed the Deputy Chief Minister’s role after her husband’s passing.

This visit also came just days after Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as Maharashtra's first female Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday. Following her swearing-in, Sharad Pawar had expressed his pleasure that she had been appointed to the senior role.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sharad Pawar held private discussions with Ajit Pawar’s sons, Parth and Jay, at Vidya Pratishtan, an educational institute in Baramati. The meeting reportedly lasted around 90 minutes, but no official statement has been released regarding what was discussed.

Regarding the ongoing talks of a possible merger between the two NCP factions, Sharad Pawar, who had earlier stated that Ajit Pawar would be making an announcement on this matter by February 12, took issue with recent comments made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

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Fadnavis had earlier said, "We do not wish to engage in politics given the current circumstances; otherwise, I could reveal many things. I am aware of everything. I have been a witness to all these events. You all know that because of my relationship with Ajit Dada, he used to share everything with me. Therefore, I believe it is inappropriate to engage in low-level politics. If Ajit Pawar were discussing any such merger, would he do so without consulting the BJP?"

In response, Sharad Pawar sharply criticised Fadnavis, stating that the Chief Minister had no involvement in discussions about the merger of the two NCP factions, he has no right to comment on it. He reiterated that Jayant Patil and Ajit Pawar were the ones holding these discussions. With this, Sharad Pawar has once again underscored that the talks for an NCP merger were indeed taking place when tragedy struck the family.

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The ongoing discussions are believed to have focused on the potential merger of the two NCP factions and the forthcoming Zila Parishad elections.

Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, tragically passed away in a plane crash on January 28 in Baramati, Pune district. His wife, Sunetra Pawar, was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister shortly thereafter.


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