Ajit Pawar was best CM Maharashtra never had, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra leaders on Monday (February 23, 2026) paid emotional tributes to late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in an air crash on January 28, as the Legislature moved a condolence motion on the opening day of the Budget session.

“Ajit Pawar was the best Chief Minister Maharashtra never had,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, recalling their long association first as political rivals and later as colleagues in the government. He described Mr. Pawar as a capable administrator and a leader deeply passionate about public life.

Minister Aditi Tatkare, Ajit Pawar’s nephew and NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar became visibly emotional while offering their condolences. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were among those who spoke. Speaker Rahul Narvekar proposed that a memorial to Mr. Pawar be set up in the Legislature.

Young legislators said he would sit through Assembly proceedings until the last speech to listen carefully to newcomers— a gesture they said had meant a great deal to them. Referring to his four-decade-long political career, members spoke about his early hardships, including losing his father at a young age, and how that shaped his personality.

“Had he been around, he would have presented the Budget for the 12th time this year, and for the 13th time next year. He would have broken the record of Sheshrao Wankhede, who had presented the State’s budget for a record 13 times,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

The NCP had organised a condolence meeting in the evening on Monday (February 23, 2026) at NSCI Dome. Several political leaders across party lines came to Mumbai to pay their last respects to Ajit Pawar. Industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, former CJI B.R. Gavai, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil were among those present. Pawar family members including cousin and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule attended the meet.

Political decency

In the Legislative Council, Mr. Thackeray recalled their unexpected alliance in 2019. “There were two mornings which had shocked Maharashtra—one was due to his act (the early morning swearing-in ceremony with the BJP in 2019), and the other due to his demise,” he said.

He said, “Ajit Pawar had recently said that he was sitting in power with those who had accused him of ₹70,000 crore corruption. Why am I saying this? We tend to harass people when they are alive but praise them when they are gone. The speciality of Ajit Pawar was that he did not get frustrated due to such allegations. Had it been someone else, that person would have killed himself. Ajit Pawar responded to all the allegations through his work,” Mr. Thackeray said. He appreciated the late leader for his work during the COVID-19 period.

Calling his death a “big loss” for Mr. Thackeray compared it to the passing of leaders such as Pramod Mahajan, Gopinath Munde and R. R. Patil.

Political vacuum

Mr. Fadnavis said the death of Ajit Pawar had created a political vacuum that could never be filled. “The death of a true friend isn’t just a political loss, but deeply personal,” he said.

Speaking for over an hour, the CM described Mr. Pawar as disciplined, detail-oriented and tireless, often beginning to work at 6 a.m. He recalled the events of January 27, a day before Mr. Pawar’s death, and the meetings they had reviewed together.

He spoke of how the two leaders were good friends for over a decade. “After 2014, there was an emotional bond between us. He was a strategic partner for us. Our relation stayed strong thereafter,” he said.

Against religious divide

Congress leader Vijay Waddettiwar said Mr. Pawar stood against the BJP’s ‘batenge to katenge’ narrative despite being in power with the saffron party, and supported colleagues from minority communities.

“He stood against any discrimination based on caste and religion. He resigned with tears in his eyes when ED served a notice to Sharad Pawar. He had lost his father at a very young age. He always had a sense of responsibility,” he said.

‘A man who stood by his word’

Mr. Fadnavis also revisited the controversial 2019 swearing-in ceremony when Ajit Pawar had broken away from Sharad Pawar to take the oath of office as the Deputy Chief Minister with the BJP. “We saw how a leader stood by his word. But when the Supreme Court decision went against us, he asked me what should be done? After discussing with me at Varsha, he changed his decision. He needed to safeguard the future of those who had come with him. There was transparency in his personality,” he said.

“He wasn’t just a personality; he was a support system for an entire generation. From agriculture to allied sectors, his leadership was rooted in the grassroots. He faced struggles, but never ran away. Whenever he thought something was wrong, he never hesitated to apologise publicly,” Mr Fadnavis said.