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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Legacy at crossroads

Questions raised over Parth Pawar’s political trajectory Mumbai: Absence of Parth Pawar, elder son of late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and newly sworn-in Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, from his mother’s swearing-in ceremony has sparked intense speculation in Maharashtra’s political circles. While Sunetra Pawar stepped into her husband’s shoes with the blessings of the Mahayuti coalition, Parth’s conspicuous absence has raised questions about his political trajectory and the future of the Pawar...

Legacy at crossroads

Questions raised over Parth Pawar’s political trajectory Mumbai: Absence of Parth Pawar, elder son of late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and newly sworn-in Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, from his mother’s swearing-in ceremony has sparked intense speculation in Maharashtra’s political circles. While Sunetra Pawar stepped into her husband’s shoes with the blessings of the Mahayuti coalition, Parth’s conspicuous absence has raised questions about his political trajectory and the future of the Pawar family’s legacy. Ajit Pawar had made no secret of his desire to see Parth emerge as his political successor. The Pawar scion was projected as the next-generation leader of the family, expected to carry forward the formidable political clout built by Ajit in Baramati and across Maharashtra. However, Parth’s journey so far has been marked more by controversies than achievements. In 2019 Lok Sabha elections Parth contested from Maval constituency but suffered a humiliating defeat, losing by a margin of over two lakh votes. The loss dented his credibility and raised doubts about his connect with grassroots voters. His name has also surfaced in multiple controversies and allegations were levelled against him in cases including the recent Pune land scam inquiry. While no charges have been proven, the shadow of investigations has kept him away from the limelight. All this has affected the public perception and unlike Ajit Pawar, who was known for his accessibility and hands-on approach, Parth has often been criticized for being aloof and disconnected from the masses. BJP Factor Speculations are rife that the BJP leadership deliberately kept Parth away from Sunetra Pawar’s swearing-in ceremony. With inquiries pending, the party is wary of projecting him as a face of governance. For the Mahayuti coalition, stability and credibility are paramount, and Parth’s presence could have complicated the optics at a sensitive moment. This move also signals that while the Pawar family remains central to NCP’s identity, the BJP is keen to control succession narratives within its allies to avoid reputational risks. Sharad Pawar’s Shadow Parth’s meeting with his grand uncle Sharad Pawar on the morning of the swearing-in adds another layer of intrigue. Sharad Pawar, the patriarch of the family and founder of the NCP, has historically played kingmaker in Maharashtra politics. His counsel could prove decisive in shaping Parth’s future—whether as a rehabilitated leader within the party or as someone sidelined until controversies clear. In her social media post Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson and former NCP leader, Sushama Andhare too has raised questions over the apparent ‘haste’ in deciding Ajit Pawar’s successor and Sunetra Pawar’s swearing in while hinting at the possible adverse effects of the haste on political future of Ajit Pawar’s sons. Road Ahead For Parth to revive his political fortunes, he must emulate his father’s relentless grassroots connect. Ajit Pawar’s success lay in his ability to be constantly available to the people of Baramati, solving everyday issues and building loyalty that transcended generations. Sunetra Pawar’s entry into the Deputy CM’s office could also serve as a turning point. If she mentors Parth in the art of people-centric politics, he may yet carve out a role for himself. But if he remains embroiled in controversies and distant from voters, his political ambitions may falter before they take flight. According to political analysts, Parth is likely to remain in the background until inquiries into the land scam conclude. His absence from the swearing-in suggests a deliberate strategy to keep him away from public scrutiny. His political rehabilitation depends on whether Sunetra Pawar consolidates her position and creates space for her son in the party structure. If he learns to walk Ajit Pawar’s path of grassroots politics, he could still emerge as a viable heir. Otherwise, the Pawar legacy may shift decisively toward Sunetra and other family members.

Choking Mumbai

For decades, Mumbai was perceived as a rare urban oasis, where the saline sweep of the Arabian Sea blunted the worst ravages of India's air pollution. That illusion has now been dispelled. A meticulous four-year study by Respirer Living Sciences (RLS), using data from its AtlasAQ platform, reveals the bleak truth that the city’s air is thick with pollutants all year round, with no ‘clean season’ left.


Mumbai’s annual average levels of PM10 (particulate matter ten microns or less in diameter) have consistently breached the national safety threshold of 60 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m³). This is not merely a seasonal malaise tied to cooler winter months, as once assumed. Alarmingly, the city’s pollution levels persist even through the hot season, a time when improved atmospheric dispersion should offer natural reprieve.


Across the city - from Chakala in Andheri East to Deonar, Kurla, Vile Parle West and Mazgaon - pollution has become an unrelenting, ubiquitous presence.


The culprits are well known: traffic emissions from a burgeoning number of vehicles; unregulated dust from frenzied construction; industrial activity in and around the ports; and a conspicuous lack of dust control measures. Mumbai’s ceaseless growth now risks becoming a chronic liability.


Worryingly, the regulatory response remains sluggish. Mumbai’s urban planning continues to treat clean air as a peripheral concern, not a foundational necessity. Development plans rarely integrate environmental impact assessments in a meaningful way.


A sharper, citywide strategy is urgently needed. Dust suppression rules at construction sites must be enforced strictly, with financial penalties for violators and incentives for best practices. Traffic management systems should be overhauled to ease congestion and encourage the use of public transport. Expansion of clean, reliable mass transit network needs to be urgently prioritised. In addition, comprehensive real-time air monitoring at the ward level should be deployed, enabling authorities to respond to localised pollution spikes swiftly rather than relying on citywide averages that conceal dangerous hotspots.


Longer-term, clean air targets must be hardwired into the city’s master planning and transport policies. Green buffers along major traffic corridors, stricter emission norms for commercial vehicles and incentives for rooftop gardens and urban afforestation could all play a part. Industrial zones near port areas should be subjected to rigorous air quality compliance measures, not token self-certifications. Private developers and large infrastructure firms, often among the worst offenders, must be made stakeholders in the clean air mission through binding regulations.


Mumbai’s commercial dynamism - as a magnet for migrants, entrepreneurs and investors - depends not just on glittering skyscrapers but on something far more basic: the ability to breathe. Unless clean air becomes an unshakeable priority, the city risks suffocating its own future. For a metropolis that prides itself on its resilience against terror attacks, monsoon floods and economic shocks, the real test will be whether it can muster the will to fight an invisible, pervasive enemy slowly corroding the lives of its 20 million citizens.

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