'Why Should I Lie To Them?': Ajit Pawar Served Truth Straight, Which Is Why He Was Loved And Hated
He was available for people without fail. Be it at the Mumbai office or at Baramati, Ajit Pawar would be present.
Published : January 28, 2026 at 12:33 PM IST
By Neeta Kolhatkar
Mumbai: Today is a black day for Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar, Baramati's Dada, is no more. He was killed in a plane crash this morning at Baramati, the place he was born in and represented as an elected representative since 1991.
Everyone was looking forward to the political developments that would unfold now that Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar's parties had come together. There were talks that Sharad Pawar would finally hand over the party reins to his daughter, Supriya Sule and nephew Ajit.
As would the senior Pawar know, Ajit Pawar was a man who could give a real challenge to his detractors, opponents and rival parties. Gifted with a thundering voice and a towering personality, he commanded respect among all circles.
While he would come across as aggressive to many, Pawar was extremely popular among the people, especially those living in rural areas. His office was always brimming with people who would travel long distances with the hope that this leader would definitely do their work and give them justice.
His detractors always accused him of being rude and aggressive, but he was one leader who would be busy from morning till late night, lined up with meetings, work and most importantly, time for people and party workers.
Be it at the Mumbai office or at Baramati, Ajit Pawar would be present for the people, right from 7 am. Once, I had to meet with him for a story and sought an appointment. He agreed to meet me at 7 am the next day. "Do you wake up by then?" he asked, with a smirk, knowing journalists work till late at night.
He took care of his health, was particular about the food he ate, and, unlike many political leaders, never consumed alcohol. His career was filled with upheavals. He seemed to be in a hurry to reach the pinnacle, to become the Chief Minister of his beloved state. It seems eerie, whether he had an inkling of not having too much time on hand. That is how his style was, always on the run.
He started as a Member of Parliament, but his heart was in Baramati, and somehow between the two cousins, Supriya Sule handled Mumbai and Delhi, while Baramati, Pune and the state were handled by Ajit Pawar. It always seemed like a family understanding between the two cousins.
Ajit Pawar was empathetic to people. Once during the elections of the Nationalist Congress Party, when R R Patil was made the state president in 2008, I got to spend a lot of time interacting with Ajit Pawar. I asked him about the criticism many senior leaders had expressed against him.
That he would tell the public to their face that their problems could not be solved. Patil had once shared, "It is not right, they may feel insulted. He should give them assurance." When I asked Ajit about it, his voice thundered as he rubbished these suggestions.
"Do you know the number of days these villagers have to spend just to come here to Mantralaya or to our party office to get a reply from me? At least three to four days. They have to cook beforehand, they eat dry bhakri, take some chillies and onions. Is that what they should be eating? They stay on the streets and then you city people complain. They are forced to use public toilets. They are small farmers or labourers but they too have self-respect. They definitely come here with hope. That is why I tell them specifically where to get their work done. Why should I lie to them?"
He did not spare the senior leaders either. "They need to be more empathetic to these people. Does anyone care who they leave their children behind with when they travel here? And what is this false promise they want me to give? They forget that after five years, these people will remember our false promises and teach us a lesson."
Ajit Pawar loved his hometown, Baramati and would never miss a chance to go back, even if it was on the same day. After his uncle, Ajit Pawar took care of it and had a strong bond with his roots. They paid him bountifully as he won repeatedly and with huge margins. In 2019, he won by over 1,65,265 votes, and in 2024, he won by a margin of 1,00,899.
Ajit Pawar always spoke in Marathi and would make fun of us who spoke Marathi with an English accent. After the 2019 results, in the initial Assembly session, as we stood on the state Assembly steps, I overheard him speak in English and asked someone, "Is this the same Ajit Dada?"
He heard me and loudly said, "Yes, I am the same. Ekach (only one) dada, Ajit dada, and I speak in English." All burst out into laughter, and I thanked him for the headline.
He had the knack of giving news. Unlike his uncle, he was consistent in his reactions and comments, though both had the knack of changing their minds.
Ajit Pawar, like Sharad Pawar, broke away from the NCP twice. Sharad Pawar too had broken away from the Congress party first in 1978 to set up Congress (U) with the Janata Party, and later in 1999, he formed the NCP.
As a journalist, here was this one politician who was upright. It was this honesty that touched the people, who felt he was the one who could show them the right way. Ajit Pawar would have all papers, study the issues and read up before any meeting. All the officials, including his staff, had to be prepared. He had immense control over administration, all the skills which he had picked up from his uncle Sharad Pawar.
His opponents would be petrified to face this tall man who towered over everyone. He also had a sense of humour, which most rural people identified with. He also spoke off the cuff, which got him into immense trouble. Once, while speaking in a rally, when the dam was dry, he asked, "Should we urinate in them?" While the villagers laughed and they identified, his opponents and the media never spared him.
He was rather mischievous. Once, as I walked in the compound of Mantralaya, after the routine rounds of getting news, Ajit Pawar saw me before getting into his car. He popped his head out, opening his door and mocked, "What? Did you go meet your media's favourite Aba (RR Patil)?"
He made a funny face, shut the door and suddenly opened the opposite door and popped his face out laughing. I could not help but burst into laughter. Once during the elections in 2014, Sharad Pawar had asked him not to make any controversial comments. However, Sharad Pawar commented and while interacting with us, Ajit Pawar said, "What to say of my uncle? He asked me to be careful and now he has gone ahead and got into trouble."
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of ETV Bharat)
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