Shocking

 

THE death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Ajit Pawar in an air-crash along with four other persons near Baramati Airport is truly shocking and unsettling. The Learjet aircraft took off from Mumbai at 8.15 a.m. and disappeared from the radar screen at 8.45 a.m. -- only to be found in a badly charred condition following multiple blasts at the time of emergency landing not far from the Baramati Airport. The crash took away one of the leading politicians of Maharashtra who desired to be Chief Minister but could not break the glass ceiling of Deputy Chief Ministership. For the strife-torn Pawar family in particular and Maharashtra’s political community in general, this accidental and violent passing away of the 66-year-old Ajit ‘Dada’ would be an irreparable loss. He was an ambitious, smart leader who indulged in multiple acts of political dare-deviltry to achieve his goal but could not make it to the pole in his generally successful career. His passing away in such a manner will always trouble the country’s political memory all the time. Even as eye-witnesses offer different versions of the last moments of the ill-fated small aircraft operated by VSR Ventures Private Limited, the common reference is to multiple blasts around the time the plane touched the ground. The plane lost height quickly, jolted sideways, wavered a lot as it neared the ground and then suddenly popped down before exploding into flames. Nobody survived out of the five occupants of the aircraft -- taking away one of the dashing political leaders of Maharashtra and India.

 

Though there was no official hint of a sabotage, West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee did not hesitate sounding that possibility and asked for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the incident. Mr. Ajit Pawar’s personality often gave the impression of a dare-devil politician who did not mind taking plunge into the darkened domains of politics. Knowing this trait of his, many people -- including uncle Mr. Sharad Pawar -- tossed Mr. Ajit Pawar around playing their own political games (which often resulted in hurting Mr. Ajit Pawar’s image and credibility). Despite that, he took strong positions -- and changed those as per political expediency. This trait of his personality came to fore when what came to be known as Irrigation Scandal was exposed. During those troubled days, Mr. Ajit Pawar conducted himself like any other politician -- using bravado as his defence. Though he was forced to resign from his position following the expose`, he insisted that he was implicated wrongly. The biggest grief of Mr. Ajit Pawar was that uncle Mr. Sharad Pawar refused to name him his political successor -- favouring his daughter Mrs. Supriya Sule. This feeling became so severe that the Nationalist Congress Party split and Mr. Ajit Pawar’s faction got the status of the main party. Despite that, Mr. Ajit Pawar continued facing serious political difficulties and leaned back to Mr. Sharad Pawar in this or that manner. But those who understood politics also knew that the hold of the Pawar clan -- on either side of the divide -- was diminishing rapidly.

 

That got proved too during the elections of Municipal Corporations. Mr. Ajit Pawar’s end came soon afterwards -- throwing the political community in a state of shock. He was an able administrator and was adored by the cadres of NCP’s both factions. In the Baramati area, the strong-hold of the Pawar family, Mr. Ajit Pawar was considered a people’s hero. He presided over a lot of positive development in the area and proved to be a benefactor of countless people. This aspect of his personality will always be remembered. It is not fathomable what will happen to his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party. In every likelihood, it may go back to uncle Mr. Sharad Pawar. That apart, Mr. Ajit Pawar leaves behind a clear stamp of his career in politics and public service -- during which he played a major role in making many critical decisions for the Government of Maharashtra.