‘Ajit Dada was to give a gift to Sharad Pawar on Dec 12, but it remained unfulfilled’

BARAMATI: Senior NCP SP leader Ankush Kakade on Thursday shared an emotional memory regarding former Deputy CM late Ajit Pawar's last desire to reunite the two factions. Kakade revealed that Ajit Pawar had intended to reunite the two NCP factions by December 12 (Sharad Pawar’s birthday) as a "gift" to the senior Pawar.

While discussions were ongoing, the merger did not materialise in time.

Kakade shared that Ajit Pawar had urged him and other senior leaders like Vitthal Sheth Maniar and Srinivas Patil—who share a close bond with Sharad Pawar—to facilitate a reconciliation. He reportedly told them, "You have good relations with Saheb (Sharad Pawar); please talk to him. Try to see how both NCP factions can become one again."

Kakade mentioned that their political journeys began together in the District Bank and that Maharashtra would never forget Ajit Pawar’s work and his handling of Sharad Pawar’s political legacy. He noted that although they had decided to fight the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections together, the tragic accident occurred before the formal reunion could be completed.