Ajit Pawar’s Tragic End: Fate’s Grim Coincidence at 66 Years, 6 Months, 6 Days

Pune/Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar passed away in a tragic plane crash, leaving supporters and the political world in shock. On Thursday, he was given a tearful farewell in Baramati, with chants of “Ajit Dada Amar Rahe” (Long Live Ajit Dada) echoing across the venue. The funeral was attended by prominent leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray, and several others, who paid their respects to the six-time Deputy Chief Minister.

Ajit Pawar’s passing carries an eerie coincidence: he died at the age of 66 years, 6 months, and 6 days, adding a tragic numerical note to an already sorrowful event. Known affectionately as “Ajit Dada,” he had endured personal loss earlier in life, losing his father, Anant Rao Pawar, in 1988 when he was only 28.

With Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise, the mantle of family responsibility now falls on his elder son, Parth Pawar, aged 36. Parth performed the last rites, accompanied by his younger brother, Jai, as well as nephews Yugendra and Rohit Pawar. Ajit Pawar also leaves behind his brother, Srinivas Pawar, and had a sister who passed away in 2017.

Parth Pawar has previously contested elections; he ran in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but lost from Madha. Following a split from Sharad Pawar in July 2023, Ajit Pawar himself contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramati against Supriya Sule, but she lost. Under Ajit Pawar’s leadership, Sunetra Pawar later entered the Rajya Sabha, continuing the family’s political presence.

Ajit Pawar’s untimely death not only leaves a deep void in the Pawar family but also raises questions about the future leadership and political stability of Maharashtra’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). His sudden departure marks the end of an era for both his family and the state’s politics.