Vijay Shivtare, Shiv Sena MLA from Purandar and one of the few politicians whom the late NCP leader Ajit Pawar had publicly vowed to politically finish in 2019, speaks to VALLABH OZARKAR about their long rivalry, eventual reconciliation and their last meeting just days before Pawar’s death.
Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise has left me deeply shaken. What happened on Wednesday came as a complete shock. For some time, I could not even believe the news. I felt as though someone from my own family had passed away.
His passing is not just a personal loss, but a loss for Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar was an asset to the state, not merely to his party. With his untimely and tragic demise, Maharashtra has lost a leader whose absence will be felt for a long time. This loss is irreparable.
When one listens to his speeches today, one understands the maturity, clarity of thought and long-term vision he had for the state’s development.
As soon as I learned about the incident, I rushed to Baramati and remained there until the funeral. When one sees Baramati and the scale of development there, from the medical college, where he was taken to after his demise, to numerous other projects, one realises the depth and impact of his work. It speaks for itself.
His passing is not just a personal loss, but a loss for Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar was an asset to the state, not merely to his party. With his untimely and tragic demise, Maharashtra has lost a leader whose absence will be felt for a long time. This loss is irreparable.
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When one listens to his speeches today, one understands the maturity, clarity of thought and long-term vision he had for the state’s development.
As soon as I learned about the incident, I rushed to Baramati and remained there until the funeral. When one sees Baramati and the scale of development there, from the medical college, where he was taken to after his demise, to numerous other projects, one realises the depth and impact of his work. It speaks for itself.
All the statements we made against each other during elections were political. One thing must be said unequivocally. He never held any personal grudge against me.
During the recent Lok Sabha elections, when I had gone to Baramati to campaign for Sunetra Pawar, he said openly from the stage, “Till now, everyone has seen the enmity between Vijay Shivtare and me. From here on, Maharashtra will see our friendship.” That single statement reflected the person he was. Political rivalry never translated into personal bitterness.
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Just four or five days before his death, I met him at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai. He stopped to speak with me, inquired about my health and urged me to take my kidney ailment seriously. He asked me to get a transplant done and asked how long I would remain on dialysis. When I mentioned the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections, he told me, “Elections will keep happening. Take care of your health first.”
That was his nature. Compassionate, even towards political rivals. He never carried resentment.
I began my political career with the NCP at its inception in 1999 and have known Ajit Pawar personally since then. In 2004, when the NCP performed well electorally, I was among those who demanded that he be made Chief Minister.
In the late 2000s, I joined the Shiv Sena and started building the party’s base in Purandar, which borders Baramati, a region where the Pawar family has traditionally held sway. At the time, Purandar lagged in development, and I often raised the issue that while Baramati was progressing rapidly, Purandar was being neglected. This became the core of our political disagreement.
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Yet even when he was Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister in a Congress-led government, and I was in the Opposition criticising him, he ensured that Purandar received necessary financial support. There was no discrimination.
In 2014, I campaigned for the BJP candidate in the region, which led to the defeat of the NCP candidate. In 2019, when his son Parth Pawar contested the Lok Sabha election from Baramati, I campaigned aggressively and he lost. Those developments angered him, and he publicly stated that he would ensure I did not win the 2019 Assembly election, which eventually happened.
Yet, despite these episodes, whenever we met, he spoke with warmth, respect and concern. The rivalry never crossed into personal hostility.
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, I had filed my nomination against Sunetra Pawar but withdrew it after the intervention of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis. At that time, Ajit Pawar assured me that development works in Purandar would be completed. He kept that promise.
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In essence, my relationship with Ajit Pawar was shaped by sharp political rivalry and mutual respect. We challenged each other fiercely in public life and often stood on opposite sides of the political divide. Yet beneath that rivalry was a shared understanding that politics must never become personal.
Maharashtra has lost a great leader who understood that line and honoured it.
