Ajit Pawar describes himself as national president of NCP, skips mention of mentor Sharad Pawar

Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra on July 2, the day he joined the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government along with eight other NCP MLAs. He completes 100 days in office on Tuesday.

In an open letter to people of the state marking the 100 days of his joining the NDA camp, veteran NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar skipped mention of his uncle and mentor Sharad Pawar. 

Ajit Pawar signed the letter as the NCP’s National President. 

The junior Pawar, however, said he drew "inspiration" from late Yashwantrao Chavan - the last Chief Minister of Bombay State, the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra and later the Deputy Prime Minister. 

Incidentally, Chavan is the mentor of Sharad Pawar. 

Ajit Pawar had joined the NDA on July 2 after staging a banner of revolt against his 82-year-old uncle, who had founded NCP a quarter century ago. 

“In the past I have said many times that Yashwantrao Chavan's motto of supporting the masses through power and answerability towards people is my inspiration…,” said Ajit Pawar, whose group has declared him as the National President of NCP.

Pawar invoked the legacy of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and social reformers Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. 

In the two-page letter, Dada, as Ajit Pawar is popularly known, justified his standing of joining the Eknath Shinde-led government and becoming Deputy Chief Minister alongside BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis - and said that the sole intention was development policies and welfare of the people.

Ajit Pawar said that the Maharashtra government was committed to the economic empowerment of all sections of the society and the implementation of all welfare schemes are the government’s priority.

"NCP is committed to achieving these goals by using the medium of power. Criticism is part and parcel of any politician's life. I always welcome constructive criticism. I believe in positive and developmental politics. Taking any work to its logical end and bringing positive change in the lives of people is what I believe in," he said.

On the stand of his group, Ajit Pawar said: “…several top leaders of the state have taken a different political stand in the history of state politics and that the group led by him took a similar stance in July...every political leader takes a stand depending on the prevailing political and social situation. NCP, under my leadership, took a similar position on July 2, 2023 and joined the state government.” 

In what was a reference to the criticism, he said: “I am a political worker who believes in positive, developmental politics…My aim is to take up public oriented work and bring positive changes in peoples’ lives through service.”