Jay Pawar's entry into NCP marks new phase in Baramati power play

Mumbai: In Baramati, a bustling tehsil town in Pune district—a constituency that has for decades served as the political nerve centre of the Pawar family—Jay Pawar's entry into active politics marks more than a routine generational shift.

His induction into the Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) top decision-making body comes at a moment when the constituency is witnessing a recalibration of power following the passing of Ajit Pawar and the consolidation of leadership under Sunetra Pawar.

Jay’s formal entry into policies in form of induction into NCP’s apex committee, the highest decision making body comes days after Parth was sent to the Rajya Sabha.

Parth (35) and Jay (29) are sons of Ajit Pawar (66) and Sunetra Pawar (62), who took over as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP National President following the untimely demise of her husband.

The induction takes place in the run-up to the Baramati by-elections, which Sunetra Pawar will be contesting.

Jay and Parth are the fourth generation of politicians from the family.

Sharad Pawar’s mother, Shardabai, was a member of the District Local Board in Pune while his father, Govindrao Pawar was instrumental in starting sugar cooperative mills in the Baramati region.

Sharad Pawar (85), popularly known as Saheb, who is a four-time Maharashtra Chief Minister, two-time Union minister and also served as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, still calls the shots in the family which has a presence in multiple fields including politics, business, industries, cooperatives, media, engineering, agriculture.

Sharad Pawar, who recently completed 60 years in public life, is a six-time MLA from Baramati, one-time MLC, five-term Lok Sabha member—four times from Baramati and once from Madha—and a two-term Rajya Sabha member. Pawar also served as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. He is among the rare politicians who have served in all four law-making bodies.

Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar, popularly known as Dada, was a six-time Deputy Chief Minister and eight-time MLA from Baramati while the family patriarch’s daughter, Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP (SP) Working President, is a four-time Baramati MP and a one-time Rajya Sabha member.

Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit Pawar (40) is a two-time NCP (SP) MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed in Ahilyanagar district while Yugendra Pawar (33), who unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls against Ajit Pawar, is being groomed.

Baramati has long been synonymous with the political legacy of Sharad Pawar, evolving from a rural stronghold into a model of cooperative-led development and political continuity.

Against this backdrop, Jay Pawar’s formal political debut signals the emergence of a third-generation claimant to that legacy, at a time when the constituency is also a testing ground for intra-family alignments and the future direction of the NCP.

His entry is therefore not merely an organisational appointment but a strategic move that could shape the next phase of Baramati’s politics — where legacy, succession, and electoral arithmetic are once again converging.

Jay is also vocal on issues; this became clear when he raised questions vis-a-vis the 28 January Learjet crash that led to the death of Ajit Pawar and four others.

Before becoming a Rajya Sabha member, Parth tried his luck but was defeated from Maval in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The entry of the Parth-Jay duo into active politics signals that Sunetra Pawar will call the shots in the NCP. This comes amid reports that the late Ajit Pawar's aides, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, are trying to establish a hold in the party, though these reports have been denied.