After Ajit Pawar, who will run the NCP?
From family heirs to seasoned loyalists and controversial heavyweights, a power struggle is set to take place to shape the next phase of the Nationalist Congress Party.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. (Express Photo) With the NCP built around Ajit Pawar’s personal authority and control over legislators, his sudden death leaves the party without a clear leader.
This comes at a time when talks had begun on bringing together the two rival NCP factions led by the Deputy CM and his uncle, Sharad Pawar.
In the weeks before his death, there were signs of a possible reunion. The two parties joined hands for municipal corporation elections in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad; and there was discussion of working together despite the disappointing results. The Deputy CM’s death has now placed both the question of succession and the future of a merger at the centre of the party’s politics.
In the NCP, three broad power centres are likely to shape the succession battle: members of the Pawar family, longtime associates who moved with him during the split, and regional leaders with their own support bases. The present political situation in the NCP, which is dominated by regional satraps, could also open the door for Sharad Pawar, the only leader across both factions with wide acceptability and authority, to step in and take control of the party.
The family
Sunetra Pawar
Ajit Pawar’s wife is seen as the most direct dynastic option. For years, she stayed away from active politics and worked mainly through women’s groups and welfare programmes in Baramati. Her formal political entry came in 2024 when she contested the Baramati LS seat against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s daughter. She lost but the contest gave her statewide visibility. She was later elected unopposed to RS in 2024 as a Mahayuti candidate.
Her strength lies in loyalty of her husband’s supporters and her association with the family stronghold of Baramati.
Parth Pawar
Ajit’s son Parth was projected as his political heir when he fought from Maval in 2019 LS election, at a time when Sharad Pawar chose not to contest. His defeat and then withdrawal from active politics stalled that plan. While his surname makes him politically relevant, Parth has not developed a strong constituency network or party following and lack of electoral success doesn’t put him in a position to be an immediate successor.
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The loyalists
Praful Patel
A founding member of the NCP and Sharad Pawar’s long-time negotiator in Delhi, Praful Patel joined forces with Ajit after the 2023 split. His strengths are managing alliances, access to national power centres, and deep knowledge of party machinery. However, he does not command a strong mass base in Maharashtra.
Sunil Tatkare
Sunil Tatkare rose from district politics in Raigad and built a base in Konkan. He has handled portfolios such as Water Resources and Rural Development. After the split, he became the president of NCP state unit. His strength lies in his control over cadres and district-level machinery. However, it is largely regional.
The outliers
Dhananjay Munde
Munde, an associate of Ajit, is one of the few NCP leaders with popular appeal. His base lies mainly in Beed. His prospects are further limited by controversies, including his resignation from the government in January 2025 after political fallout over Beed sarpanch murder.
Chhagan Bhujbal
Bhujbal a senior OBC leader in the state, has served as Deputy CM, and held key portfolios. After spending time in jail in a corruption case, he returned to politics and later joined Ajit’s camp. But his age and past controversies could hamper his chances of being party’s main face.
Sharad Pawar
Sharad Pawar remains the only leader in NCP with the authority to command acceptance. He has personal ties with most senior leaders and continues to wield influence over key organisational and financial networks built around cooperatives, sugar factories and educational institutions.
At 84, he has gradually reduced his public engagements and handed over daily responsibilities to his daughter and grand nephew Rohit. His likely role, if at all, would be to stabilise the party, manage the immediate crisis, and guide succession. “The man who was making the political moves is no more. It will have to be the old man taking the lead,” said a senior leader. Another leader said challenge is two-fold: managing party currently in power and deciding on proposed merger. “Who else than Sharad Pawar can do this?”
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