Vidarbha mourns Ajit Pawar’s demise  

 

 

The sudden and very tragic death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has left the region numb. As the news of the deadly plane crash came on Wednesday morning and later fatalities were confirmed, the people mourned passing away of a leader, admired for his discipline and loved for his straight talk. Remembering Ajitdada’s recent visit to the city during the party’s convention held in September last, the party workers recalled Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) President’s major contributions to strengthen the party base in Vidarbha. “We joined Mahayuti with a special purpose. It was not for power or position. We wanted to contribute to the stability and progress of Maharashtra. With the power, we can serve people in a better manner.

 

People of our party should come out of comfort zone and endeavour to strengthen the party in Vidarbha,” was the powerful message from Ajit Pawar, during that convention. Now, following Ajitdada’s demise on Wednesday, Nagpurians will remember him for making efforts to establish connect with Vidarbha and strengthening the party in this part of the State. The convention which Ajit Pawar’s faction organised in Nagpur, was a grand success. It was Ajit Pawar who ‘dared’ to hold the NCP’s convention in Nagpur. Ajit Pawar had also indicated that if hard efforts are made, NCP can become the second largest party in Vidarbha replacing Congress.

 

In fact, when a mediaperson asked him why he chose Nagpur, a stronghold of BJP, as the venue for his party’s meet, he quipped, nobody owned a particular place. Nagpur’s local leaders Anil Ahirkar, Shrikant Shivankar, Rajabhau Tanksale, Abha Pandey made efforts for success of the convention that witnessed presence of stalwarts like Working President Praful Patel, Maharashtra President Sunil Tatkare, senior leaders Dilip Walse-Patil, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Dattatray Bharne, Narhari Zirwal, Aditi Tatkare, MLAs, MLCs, District office-bearers. NCP was formed a long ago with a plan and it has earned a name where the party workers are called the most disciplined. It was echoed during the convention that the party is committed to earn its name as it is different. In Vidarbha, except Congress and BJP, no party could establish its dominance. But Congress is suffering due to factionalism. Against this backdrop, NCP (AP) aimed to replace it in Vidarbha. After the convention, Pawar kept visiting Nagpur.

 

Either he himself or his party leaders tried to establish connect with Vidarbha. He had met Salil Deshmukh when the latter was admitted to hospital. He had also attended the marriage ceremony organised by his party’s senior leader Abha Pandey. With Sanjay and Sulabha Khodke, Ajit Pawar established the party’s presence in Amravati by making them MLAs. In Vidarbha, Rajkumar Badole is his party’s MLA plus Praful Patel is Rajya Sabha Member. When BJP refused to ally with NCP in Municipal polls in Vidarbha, except in Akola, Ajit Pawar instructed his Vidarbha leaders to go solo. The party received moderate success in the polls, but it was an effort to stamp the NCP’s presence in this part of Maharashtra. In a direct warning to ministers of his own party, he asked them not to neglect party organisation. Ajit Pawar had said, those with other priorities would have to vacate their chairs.

 

 

At Nagpur only, Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had revealed the reason as to why he parted ways with his uncle Sharad Pawar-- not for power, but to ensure stability and progress in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar felt the State can experience stability only through BJP-led Mahayuti. He revealed the reason behind the split only in Nagpur.