NCP Leader Ajit Pawar Sworn In As Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, who took oath as the Deputy chief minister of Maharashtra after joining the Eknath Shinde-led government, is the son of Sharad Pawar’s elder brother Anantrao. In 1982, he was elected to the board of a sugar cooperative, his first step into politics.
Rising through the Ranks: Ajit Pawar’s Political Career in Maharashtra
In 1991, Ajit became the chairman of Pune District Cooperative Bank, a post he served for the next 16 years. Ajit was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati in 1991 and later relinquished the seat to make way for Sharad Pawar, the defence minister in the P.V. Narasimha Rao government. Later, he was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Baramati Assembly Constituency.
Ajit Pawar’s Success in Baramati Assembly Constituency
By Pawar’s side since 1991-’92, he harboured dreams of being the heir apparent after Pawar broke away from the Congress to form the NCP in 1999. He was elected MLA from the Baramati Assembly Constituency in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014, with a vote margin of 1,65,265 votes. Ajit was elevated to the Cabinet minister rank in Maharashtra at the age of 40 in 1999 after having served as a junior minister for over nine years.
He has taken charge of some heavyweight ministries such as Irrigation, rural development, water resources, and finance that helped him spread his clout throughout the state, including his own pocket borough of west Maharashtra.
Ajit Pawar’s Demands and the Parth Pawar Controversy
In 2019, problems cropped up between uncle and nephew as Ajit demanded that his son Parth be fielded from Maval constituency. It was said that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had dropped his plans to contest Lok Sabha elections from Madha constituency to make way for Parth to contest from Maval.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Maharashtra Chief minister: Eknath Shinde;
- Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai;
- Maharashtra Governor: Ramesh Bais.