Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar (1959–2026) was an Indian politician who served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and led the Nationalist Congress Party faction recognized by India’s Election Commission.

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Sharad Pawar: An Indian politician who founded the Nationalist Congress Party and served as Maharashtra chief minister and Union minister. Ajit Pawar’s uncle and longtime party mentor, Sharad was central to their political partnership and split.
Baramati: A town and parliamentary constituency in Pune district, Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar built his electoral base in Baramati, representing its assembly constituency for decades.
2023 Nationalist Congress Party split: The division of the Nationalist Congress Party into rival factions led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar in 2023. Pawar’s break with his uncle created the faction whose leadership he claimed.
Mahayuti: A political alliance in Maharashtra led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and including Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party faction led by Ajit Pawar. Pawar’s faction became a constituent of the state’s governing alliance in 2023.
Sunetra Pawar: An Indian politician and social worker who served in the Rajya Sabha and became Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 2026. Ajit Pawar’s wife, she entered public office after his death.
Nationalist Congress Party: An Indian political party founded in 1999 after a split within the Indian National Congress. Pawar rose within the party Sharad Pawar founded and later led a breakaway faction.
Election Commission of India: India’s constitutional body responsible for administering elections and regulating political parties. It recognized Ajit Pawar’s faction as the NCP and awarded it the party name and symbol in 2024.
Maha Vikas Aghadi: A Maharashtra governing coalition formed in 2019 by the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, and Indian National Congress. Pawar’s 2023 move aligned his faction against the coalition his party had helped form.
Supriya Sule: An Indian politician representing Baramati in the Lok Sabha and a senior Nationalist Congress Party leader. Ajit Pawar’s cousin and political rival, she led the faction aligned with Sharad Pawar.
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly: The elected lower house of Maharashtra’s state legislature. Repeated assembly elections in Baramati anchored Pawar’s state-level political career.