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Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit ready for bigger role in NCP?
NCP chief Sharad Pawar has been promoting his grandnephew Rohit as the party’s young face after his nephew Ajit Pawar joined the Maharashtra government
PUNE Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has been promoting his grandnephew Rohit as the party’s young face after his nephew Ajit Pawar, along with other senior leaders joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena government on Sunday.
It was Rohit who first rushed to Pawar’s residence as news of Ajit’s rebellion spread.
Pawar senior during a press conference at his Modi Baug residence in Pune, on Sunday, asked Rohit to sit next to him. During his interaction with the media, Pawar said, “I don’t have to worry about my old colleagues who have joined the other party. My priority is to create new leadership for Maharashtra.”
An NCP leader from Pune close to Pawar said, his remarks are to be seen in the context that post rebellion in the party, Pawar feels young leaders, especially the next generation of senior leaders, may leave him as happened in the case of Sunil Tatkare and his daughter Aditi.
Often seen dressed in white shirt and denim, Rohit from the beginning of his political career is perceived to be close to his great uncle and he is believed to be groomed by the veteran leader for a bigger role in the party.
The 37-year-old, grandson of NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s elder brother Appasaheb and a member of the family’s fourth generation, is currently a legislator from Karjat Jamkhed assembly constituency in Ahmednagar district.
He entered politics in 2017 by contesting the Zilla Parishad elections from a constituency near Baramati.
On Monday, when Sharad Pawar left for Karad, he was accompanied by Rohit. When asked if the changes in the past two days have created a bigger political canvas for him to work on, Rohit said, “I have never thought about the political canvas. I have been working in the party and for the people who have elected me.”
Rohit, who was earlier this year elected as president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), however, was cautious in not criticising his uncle Ajit. “Ajit dada has personally and politically helped me a lot when it comes to working for people and I will always respect him. However, Sharad Pawar has been my mentor and he has introduced me to politics. So, I will always be with him,” said Rohit.
A senior political leader from Pune, close to the Pawar family, requesting anonymity, said, “Pawar senior has given a clear message that Rohit would replace Ajit Pawar to some extent in the near future.”
Rohit’s father Rajendra Pawar looks after Baramati Agro Trust, a crucial organisation in Baramati for various agriculture-related activities.
Earlier in the second week of May when Sharad Pawar withdrew his decision to step down as party chief, there were select leaders present in Mumbai including Rohit. Pawar had then clarified that senior leaders were not called for the press conference.
