Gone too soon, Ajit Dada!
Never thought that I would have to write this; but unfortunately we all have to accept that Maharashtra’s only ‘Dada’ of politics has left us all. Maharashtra approx. has a population of 13 crores, believe me when I say this- Dada comes in that category wherein 99% of the junta must have shed a tear or skipped a beat on receiving the tragic news of his demise! The only leader of Maharashtra, wherever he went, he wasn’t welcomed with garlands and bouquets-but with applications of work from thousands as everyone knew, only 1 person is the real ‘Dabang’ of politics where work of ordinary man could happen in hours that was pending for years! What’s more, I was always a critic of Dada, but today writing this, even I am sad, really sad! As senior Pawar said, this is one loss, Maharashtra will never recover from, and I totally agree to this !
When no one knew about relations of Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, on one of their birthday’s (22nd July) when Devendra Fadnavis was the CM during 2014-19 and this association of DF-AP was no where close in reality, I don’t remember the exact year, I had tweeted their photo together and said, Devendra Fadnavis needs this man as his opening partner; they are like Sehwag-Tendulkar. Nowhere were talks of their ‘friendship’…I had written just because I knew the popularity Dada had and the style of his working and I knew Devendra Fadnavis needs speed and only this one Ajit Pawar can match his speed and vision.. and hence I tweeted this. Really, a mass leader gone too soon. His son, Parth and I are good friends even today, but I still haven’t gathered the courage to send a condolence message to him, as somewhere, like millions, I too feel, all this is just a bad dream.
Let me reminisce you all with one of the ‘off the record’ stories to narrate to you what Ajit Pawar was. I remember meeting Devendra Fadnavis with my father at DF’s residence right after that DF had to vacate his CM post after that 3 day government fiasco. DF was disturbed. I asked him, sir what went wrong? Did Senior Pawar play better than him or what exactly happened, as being a journalist I was very keen.. DF narrated the same story which we all wrote and spoke about but one thing he told me which I think only few are and were privy off- Vikrant, I will tell you, in DF’s exact words, “Ajit Dada is lion hearted”, me and baba came to the edge of our seats looking amused as no one had ever imagined someone like Ajit Pawar would have become so close to DF during those turmoil times Maharashtra went through… He said, “when we both swore in that early morning, in the previous days we were discussing how everything will be chalked out, just casually I asked Dada, “Dada what do you want once we form the Government”, to my surprise, Dada said, “Devendra ji, I don’t want anything, but my son Parth has recently lost LS elections, and I am worried about his political future, if you feel, please settle him politically”. DF gave him a promise but unfortunately the government fell on the 3rd day… “Everyone (all NCP MLAs who had come with Ajit Pawar) distanced with me and went back to NCP, but the last one to leave me, that too when I forced him, was Ajit dada” Dada said to DF at that time, “Devendra ji, no worries if I have to be with you in the opposition, I will not leave you as I have already made up my mind to be with you”, but then DF told me, “I forced him to go as if you all remember the likes of Smt Pratibhatai Pawar too had come to convince Dada to come back to NCP family and I felt wrong in holding him up, but then AP had displayed courage to go against his own party, family just to be with me as he had given me his word” This was Ajit Pawar…Man who committed never went back on his words and that’s why yesterday Devendra Fadnavis appeared broken sitting next to Smt. Sunetra Pawar as he had lost a genuine friend, yet again…
I think Ajit dada left us all in a mixed feelings in his heart-politically-in the recently concluded Municipal Corporation elections, Dada couldn’t gather much success in his own bastion-Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad as he had aligned with Sharad Pawar faction and the voters went against this alliance even though Pimpri Chinchwad is today only thanks to Ajit Pawar. Personally, I feel Dada must have gone as a satisfied man, as recently he got his younger son Jay Pawar married, both Parth and Jay were well settled in their careers, wife Sunetra had become an MP and his personal relations with his cousin Supriya Sule and entire Pawar family were always thick in spite of their political differences. Family photos during every festival and celebrations were an evidence to this. Dada was charged up, geared up to once again rebuild his trust in Punekars and I am sure he must be having ambitious plans for the same.
Gone too soon Ajit dada! I don’t know if it is true as I received this forward on whatsapp- it said when Ajit Pawar left us, he was exactly 66 years, 6 months and 6 days old…Coincidence isn’t it….even during his death, Dada maintained his style of being perfect in everything… A teetotaler, absolutely disciplined in health and work, punctual, having a command over administration, a mass leader gone too soon…
Maharashtra will miss you a lot, Dada! Your taste in interiors, your style of working, your flamboyance and your ‘Dabang’giri too. Travel well Dada, once again I will say, Maharashtra has lost one of its gems!
Vikrant Meena Hemant Joshi.
