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By:

Rajendra Pandharpure

15 April 2025 at 2:25:54 pm

BJP eyes chances in Western Maharashtra after the Pawars

The death of Ajit Pawar has unsettled western Maharashtra, leaving the BJP cautiously biding its time Pune: Western Maharashtra has long been Indian politics in miniature: dense with sugar cooperatives, caste arithmetic, money and muscle power. For decades it was shaped by one extended family – the Pawars - whose writ ran from district banks to dairy unions and from assembly halls to village panchayats. The sudden death of Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) strongman and...

BJP eyes chances in Western Maharashtra after the Pawars

The death of Ajit Pawar has unsettled western Maharashtra, leaving the BJP cautiously biding its time Pune: Western Maharashtra has long been Indian politics in miniature: dense with sugar cooperatives, caste arithmetic, money and muscle power. For decades it was shaped by one extended family – the Pawars - whose writ ran from district banks to dairy unions and from assembly halls to village panchayats. The sudden death of Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) strongman and Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister, has jolted this ecosystem. The aftershocks are being felt most keenly not by his rivals, but by his ally, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that has long coveted the region. Maharashtra’s politics has always been regionally segmented. The BJP is entrenched in north Maharashtra; it has broken through spectacularly in Mumbai, including wresting control of the municipal corporation; Vidarbha remains Congress-leaning while Marathwada is competitive and volatile. Family Bastion Western Maharashtra, by contrast, has remained been the Pawars’ citadel. Control over cooperatives, especially sugar, has translated into rural loyalty, financial muscle and electoral dominance. The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar, thrived on this architecture. The BJP, despite its national rise, has struggled to crack it. Rather than dislodge the system, the BJP sought to co-opt it. Disaffected satraps were inducted like Udayanraje Bhosale in Satara; the Mahadiks in Kolhapur; the Mohite-Patils in Solapur. Local strongmen such as Rahul Kul in Pune district were elevated and veterans like Harshvardhan Patil were brought in, if only briefly. The idea was to gradually bleed the undivided NCP led by patriarch Sharad Pawar. That effort has intensified as the BJP eyes an audacious goal: returning to power in Maharashtra on its own in the 2029 Assembly election. For that to happen, western Maharashtra is indispensable. It is no accident that the Modi government had created a new Union ministry of cooperation, handing it to Amit Shah. Cooperatives are the region’s political bloodstream. After the 2024 general election, Muralidhar Mohol, elected from Pune, was made minister of state in the same department. He was also informally tasked with western Maharashtra in a clear signal of the BJP’s strategic focus. Mohol’s brief was daunting: contain both Pawars. Sharad Pawar’s stature as a national deal-maker and Ajit Pawar’s grip on local machinery made them a formidable duo even when divided. Yet, the recent municipal contests in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad hinted at change. When both Pawars campaigned together, the BJP still managed to defeat them, suggesting that the old formula no longer guaranteed victory. Uncertain Times Then came the plane crash on January 28 leading to Ajit Pawar’s tragic death. His wife, Sunetra Pawar, was sworn in as deputy chief minister, an act of continuity intended to steady the ranks. While public sympathy is palpable, it has nothing to do with organisation. Sunetra Pawar will need time to command the networks her husband once ran by instinct. Her early gestures like visiting Karad to pay homage to Yashwantrao Chavan and invoking the legacy of Phule, Shahu and Ambedkar signal an attempt to anchor the party in its progressive tradition. Whether that rhetoric can substitute for Ajit Pawar’s authority is uncertain. Uncertainty abounds elsewhere too. Rumours swirl of a rapprochement or even a merger between the rival NCP factions. One scenario has Supriya Sule entering the Union cabinet. Another asks a more existential question: could Sharad Pawar, architect of Maharashtra’s secular, centrist politics, ever align formally with the BJP’s Hindutva project? His reported unease with a recent India–America trade agreement has fuelled speculation among supporters already anxious about ideological drift. Against this haze, the BJP’s restraint is striking. Rather than rushing to exploit the moment, it has preferred to wait and watch. The party knows that western Maharashtra is not won in a season. Cooperative elections, local bodies and caste coalitions move slowly. For now, the BJP is content to let the Pawars recalibrate, to allow factions to test their strength, and to intervene only when the contours are clearer. In a region where politics has long been about inheritance, Ajit Pawar’s absence has exposed how fragile even the most entrenched systems can be. The BJP senses opportunity, but is also aware of the attendant risks. Its wait-and-watch posture reflects a calculation born of experience. And in western Maharashtra, patience can be a weapon.

When Performance Isn’t Enough

Sometimes, we all stumble. We miss deadlines, lose focus, fall short in performance, or fail to show up as our best selves. But behind every moment of underperformance, there's often an invisible story—one of exhaustion, personal struggles, mental burnout, or a silent cry for help that never made it past the lips. In such moments, what makes the difference between sinking and surviving is not always skill or effort. It’s the strength of your personal brand.


Imagine a workplace where someone isn’t meeting their targets. The numbers are dropping. The pressure is rising. Colleagues are talking. In most environments, such an individual is quietly replaced or labelled as someone who couldn't keep up. But in others—more humane, more evolved spaces—something else happens. People pause. They remember this person’s consistency, their past performance, the way they once helped a teammate, the value they’ve added to the culture. They reach out. They support. They buy time. And most importantly, they trust.


That trust doesn’t come from job titles. It isn’t the result of what’s on a résumé. It’s built through personal branding—the intangible but deeply felt reputation you've created over time. It's how you've made people feel, how consistently you've shown up, and how you've invested in your identity beyond tasks and targets. A strong personal brand becomes a buffer. When the going gets tough, it buys you space to breathe, recover, and come back stronger.


In an ideal world, everyone would be seen for their potential, understood in times of difficulty, and offered compassion unconditionally. But the real world doesn’t always operate that way. Here, perception plays a big role. And that’s exactly why personal branding isn't just about looking good or sounding smart. It’s about being remembered for the right reasons, especially when you’re not in the room—or when you’re not at your best.


A person with a solid personal brand has allies even in silence. Their work speaks even when they don’t. Their credibility gives them the benefit of the doubt when they falter. This is not just about being popular—it’s about being respected. It’s about being known for who you are and what you stand for, beyond deliverables.


This isn’t a pitch to pretend or polish yourself into something you’re not. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s an invitation to be more of who you truly are. To show up with honesty, to share your story, to support others when they need it, and to build goodwill that stands by you even on the days you feel like you’re falling apart.


In workplaces, much like in families, we’re all just human beings navigating our highs and lows. And just like you’d look after a sick family member, the best workplaces create space for people to be vulnerable without fearing judgment. But for that to happen, you need to invest in who you are when you’re not delivering—the tone of your emails, your willingness to help, the way you handle conflict, the values you live by. All of this builds your brand. Quietly, daily, powerfully.


If you’re reading this and thinking about someone who needs support right now—reach out. And if you’re the one in need, know this: what you’re building in terms of your personal brand can be your greatest support system. Not just for now, but for years to come.


In a world where everyone is trying to outshine the other, sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is be real, be kind, and be consistent. Personal branding isn’t a performance. It’s


your presence. And when nurtured with intention, it becomes the reason people stand by you when things don’t go your way.


Let your brand not just represent who you are at your best, but also how you are when you're struggling. That’s where true credibility lies.


If you need help with building your personal brand at your own pace, I’d strongly recommend you connect with me on my social media platforms where I post content for you to be able to develop your personal brand. But if you wish to sky rocket the speed then reach out to me via my social media platforms.


(The author is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

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