‘I am surely taking oath!’: How Ajit Pawar’s comic timing, earthy wit kept Maharashtra hooked

The incident was a reflection of the late Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader’s impeccable comic timing and earthy wit, which often kept audiences riveted, cutting through political monotony. It remained one of the key features of his speeches, interactions with the media and meetings.

Interestingly, Shinde countered Pawar’s viral quip with an even smarter comeback. “Dada (Ajitdada) has experience, of taking oath in the morning and evening too,” he said in Hindi, a pointed reference to Pawar and Fadnavis taking oath in an early morning ceremony at the Raj Bhavan in 2019. The comment had drawn even bigger laughter and applause from Pawar himself.

In another speech delivered in Pune district a few months ago, Pawar was telling the audience how the government facilitated visits of some school students to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States. At this point, Pawar received a note from the audience, which he read out loud. The note asked him about controlling stray cattle in a particular village. Visibly irritated while reading the note, Pawar took to humour the next moment. “How do you react to this now? Here I am talking about a visit to NASA, here you are asking about stray cattle.” In his signature comic tone, Pawar said, “Bring the person who has sent this note, I will felicitate him by breaking the ceremonial coconut on his head.”

In the next sentence, however, Pawar spoke in detail about how the issue of stray animals could be handled.

Senior film and theatre actor Sayaji Shinde, who has been associated with the NCP since 2024, said, “I have always believed that humour flows from being grounded. Ajitdada was deeply rooted in reality. His firm grasp of administrative, political and social issues gave him a sharp, astute vision—and sharp humour, after all, comes from sharp observation. He also had an effortless command over the Marathi of the masses, which made his wit instantly relatable. This lighter side wasn’t limited to public speeches; it carried into personal interactions as well. Once, when he couldn’t locate someone, he casually told his aide, ‘Ja re te kuthe ulathala aahe bagh’—an earthy phrase meaning ‘go check where he’s toppled.’ Such expressions lent his personality a comic edge, born of his big-heartedness.”

However, his blunt, no-filter humour also sparked controversies at times. Over 12 years ago, during a speech at Indapur in Pune, his comments related to dam water shortage had drawn criticism from those in the Opposition and his own party leaders alike for mocking farmers reeling under drought, prompting an apology from him.