Baramati, February 4: In an emotional moment, Sharad Pawar, the president of the NCP (SP), paid heartfelt tribute to his nephew, the late Ajit Pawar, who tragically passed away in a plane crash on January 28.
Upon arriving in Baramati from Govind Bagh, Sharad Pawar appeared visibly shaken. With the support of security personnel, he approached a portrait of his nephew, bowing his head in silent homage. Family members and supporters present were also moved by the moment.
During the mourning assembly, Sharad Pawar spent time with family and met citizens and party workers who came to pay their respects. The gathering took place at Ajit Pawar’s residence in Baramati, attended by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, Parth Pawar, Jai Pawar, Srinivas Pawar, Rohit Pawar, and other close and extended family members.
While the meeting was primarily private, it sparked considerable interest in political circles. This was the first encounter between Sharad Pawar and Sunetra Pawar following her swearing-in as Deputy Chief Minister.
Maharashtra is currently engulfed in mourning following Ajit Pawar’s untimely death. Leaders, supporters, and citizens from across the state have been gathering to pay their tributes. Over the past two days, leaders and activists from various political parties have visited Baramati to express their condolences to the Pawar family.
After returning from Mumbai, Sharad Pawar participated in several high-level meetings in Baramati. He held discussions with Parth Pawar, Jai Pawar, and Vijaya Patil, as well as with trustees of Vidya Pratishthan.
Earlier, Sharad Pawar addressed the media regarding the current political situation. When questioned about Sunetra Pawar’s decision to take the oath of office shortly after the tragedy, he declined to comment.
He stated, “I do not wish to speak on Sunetra Pawar’s swearing-in. It is more important to focus on issues like national security and the situation at the India-China border.”
Responding to recent comments by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding a potential merger of the two factions of the NCP, Sharad Pawar firmly denied any such discussions. He emphasized that Fadnavis had no right to comment on the matter, as he was not involved in the ongoing discussions, which included only Jayant Patil and Ajit Pawar. He clarified that discussions about a merger were happening while the Pawar family was grappling with this significant tragedy.
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