What Next For NCP After Ajit Pawar’s Death? Vacant Portfolios, Merger Questions Loom

The Maharashtra cabinet is likely to see a reshuffle in the wake of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s untimely demise in a plane crash on Wednesday, with the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) seeking to stake a claim to his portfolios, sources told CNN-News18.

Sources said the NCP is likely to submit a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that Ajit Pawar’s portfolios be allotted to the NCP as the departments came under the party’s quota.

At the time of his death, Ajit Pawar was in control of the departments of Finance, Planning and State Excise. He also took additional charges in Sport and Youth Welfare and Minority Development. All these developments are now vacant, and the NCP is expected to stake

claims on these portfolios.

Divided Ajit Pawar Camp

The Ajit Pawar camp is currently divided into two groups, with one seeking to remain with the Mahayuti alliance, and the other seeking to reunite with Sharad Pawar, according to sources. Ajit Pawar’s death has now led to several questions surrounding the future of NCP.

Before Ajit Pawar’s tragic demise, there were reports that the two factions of NCP could announce a reunion in the second week of February. These reports gained momentum after both factions contested the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections together.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to persuade the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) to stay with the Mahayuti alliance, as its exit would significantly strengthen Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.

Ajit Pawar’s Death

Pawar, the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and senior NCP leader, died in a tragic plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday. The NCP leader, 66, was among five people killed when a chartered Learjet 45, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, burst into flames while attempting to land in poor visibility at Baramati Airport.

Along with Pawar, his personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, flight attendant Pinky Mali, Pilot-in-Command Sumit Kapur, and Second-in-Command Shambhavi Pathak, were also on board the ill-fated plane.

Ajit Pawar’s last rites were performed with full state honours on Thursday at the Vidya Pratishthan Ground in Baramati, his electoral stronghold. His wife Sunetra and his two sons- Parth and Jay- performed the last rites as thousands of his supporters gathered at the cremation ground to catch a last glimpse of their leader.

Union Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President Nitin Nabin, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin attended the leader’s funeral.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a full-scale probe into the crash, with the Union Aviation Ministry citing poor visibility as a primary factor. The ministry also said that the black box of the aircraft carrying Ajit Pawar and others has been recovered.