MUMBAI: Ajit Pawar grew up under the tutelage of his uncle Sharad Pawar, but made his own identity and created a political space for him. But his wife, Sunetra Pawar, who was sworn in as deputy chief minister after Ajit’s death in air crash, decided to come out from the shadow of the Pawar Senior and chart a different path.
Maharashtra politics for the last 40 years unfolded around the 85-year-old Sharad Pawar. After its rise since 2014, the BJP has a plan to reduce the importance of Sharad Pawar in state and Centre’s politics and make the Pawar brand redundant. Sunetra, rather than consulting her family supremo and political veteran to realise her ambitions, felt comfortable with the people. She thought that consulting Pawar Senior means spoiling her and her sons’ political career. This is a blow to Sharad Pawar. He accepted in a press conference that he had no idea of Sunetra taking oath as a deputy CM.
After taking oath, Sunetra said on Saturday that she has taken on public responsibility with a strong sense of duty, committed to carrying forward the people-centric legacy of her husband for the welfare of Maharashtra. Recalling Ajit’s work for farmers, labourers, women, youth and marginalised sections, she said she would continue to draw inspiration from his thoughts while remaining anchored to the ideals of Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Dr BR Ambedkar. Sunetra, a commerce graduate, has a big task before her: to protect the NCP from fragmentation and use the government’s financial power to protect her party’s strongholds from the BJP, though both are in alliance.
Born into a political family, Sunetra understands politics, but it is interesting to see whether her politics will really work against the BJP. She also needs to develop a pan-Maharashtra stature to get votes for her party. Her first challenge would be Baramati where the Senior Pawar family members will not lose their control easily.
Sharad Pawar is keen on merger of both the NCP factions as a tribute to his nephew Ajit, but Sunetra and her sons have different views. They want to remain a part of the Pawar family but travel a different political road.