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‘Ajit (Pawar) dada would always listen even if issue was very local’

“Even if you had a very local issue, Dada would give you an audience,” says NCP’s Maharashtra general secretary, Surekha Pednekar, who was present at the party office in Raigad.

ajit pawar plane crash, baramati, Ajit Pawar, ajit pawar, ajit pawar plane crash news, ajit pawar plane details, ajit pawar plane route, flight tracker, ajit pawar baramati flightThe forlorn NCP office in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Ganesh Shirsekar)

At the NCP party offices, workers stood around in disbelief, breaking down in tears. Their leader — Ajit dada — was gone.

When the news came that NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has been killed in a plane crash on Wednesday, several workers and leaders rushed to party offices, while others head­ed to Baramati where the final rites will be conducted on Thursday. The refrain among party wokers was: “He was always approachable”.

“Even if you had a very local issue, Dada would give you an audience,” says NCP’s Maharashtra general secretary, Surekha Pednekar, who was present at the party office in Raigad.

“I joined politics over 30 years ago and was inspired by his way of working – he always had a plan of action ready… ,” recalls Pednekar. “He remembered names of party workers, did not discriminate based on their experience or designation in the party.”

“It does not feel real. It is not just a loss for the party but every individual worker that he cared for, heard and worked with,” she adds, as banners are brought to the party office to mark the loss, replacing posters of upcoming Zilla Parishad polls.

In New Delhi, workers and leaders started trickling into the party office on 79, North Avenue.

They were heard talking about Pawar’s last visit to the office five months ago.

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“We had discussed his plans for the party in Delhi and municipal elections. He had grand plans for expansion of the party in national capital,” says party national general secretary and chief spokesperson Brijmohan Shrivastav. It’s too early to “even think about politics”, he says.

As posters from his birthday celebrations on July 22 last year hang in the background, party leaders have placed a framed photo of him under the tin shade in the courtyard of the party office, where they paid tributes to him.

“We have lost a guardian. I remember once I went ahead to touch his feet, and he told me not to. Instead, he hugged me. He said I was like his brother and and that brothers should hug,” says Virendra Singh, who heads the NCP’s Delhi unit.

Kuldeep K Bujoo, a core committee member of NCP Delhi unit, says,  “I can’t believe I won’t see him again.”

Sadaf Modak is a distinguished Legal Correspondent based in Mumbai whose work demonstrates exceptional Expertise and Authority in covering the intricacies of the judicial and correctional systems. Reporting for The Indian Express, she is a highly Trustworthy source for in-depth coverage of courtroom proceedings and human rights issues. Expertise  Specialized Role: As a dedicated Legal Correspondent, Sadaf Modak possesses deep, specialized knowledge of legal procedures, statutes, and judicial operations, lending immense Authority to her reports. Core Authority & Focus: Her work primarily centers on: Trial Court Proceedings: She mainly covers the trial courts of Mumbai, providing crucial, on-the-ground reporting on the day-to-day legal processes that affect citizens. She maintains a keen eye on both major criminal cases and the "ordinary and not so ordinary events" that reveal the human element within the justice system. Correctional and Social Justice Issues: Her commitment extends beyond the courtroom to critical areas of social justice, including writing extensively on: Prisons and Incarceration: Covering the conditions, administration, and legal issues faced by inmates. Juvenile Justice: Reporting on the complexities of the juvenile justice system and the legal rights of children. Human Rights: Focusing on fundamental human rights within the context of law enforcement and state institutions. Experience Institutional Affiliation: Reporting for The Indian Express—a leading national newspaper—ensures her coverage is subject to high editorial standards of accuracy, impartiality, and legal rigor. Impactful Detail: Her focus on trial courts provides readers with direct, detailed insights into the workings of the justice system, making complex legal narratives accessible and establishing her as a reliable and trusted chronicler of the legal landscape. Sadaf Modak's blend of judicial focus and commitment to human rights issues establishes her as a vital and authoritative voice in Indian legal journalism. She tweets @sadafmodak ... Read More

Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More

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