‘Dada’ regularly visited Phulambri to meet aunt, cousins

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar shared family relations with Phulambri. He appeared as a completely different person (non-political) while visiting the town as it was the place where his maternal aunt Sushma Balasaheb Deshmukh was staying.

For Pawar, Phulambri was not just a place; it was a home filled with memories, bonds of gratitude and childhood playfulness. The house of his aunt, Sushma Deshmukh, held deep emotional value for him. Summer holidays, the festive bustle of Diwali, playing with cousins and long conversations in the courtyard—amid all this, a future leader was taking shape, but first and foremost, a sensitive human being was living those moments.

“However big Dada became, whenever he came here, he was just our cousin,” said his maternal cousin Nitin Deshmukh, breaking down in tears. His words reflected a deep sense of loss. Whenever Ajit Pawar visited Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, he never returned without meeting his aunt. This was not mere formality, but loyalty to relationships.

Even during the grim days of the Covid pandemic, Pawar made time to visit his aunt. Those two hours of conversation—no one could have imagined then that the meeting would remain forever etched in memory. A few days later, the aunt Sushma Deshmukh passed away, and now Ajit Pawar himself has begun his final journey. With this, an important emotional thread in the Deshmukh household has been irreparably severed.

For Phulambri, Ajit Pawar was not just a relative but a pillar of development. Whether it was the issue of the 33 kV power substation in the Pathri–Nidhona area or efforts to revive the long-defunct Devgiri Cooperative Sugar Factory from liquidation, Pawar never turned his back on Phulambri. Today, as the factory stands debt-free and on the threshold of a new crushing season, farmers express deep gratitude towards him.

Ajit Pawar shared a strong and affectionate bond with Phulambri town. He always took a positive approach towards development works in the area, said BJP district president and Phulambri resident Suhas Shirsath.

Phulambri mourns the loss

As news of demise spread, a pall of gloom descended over Phulambri tehsil. Residents paid heartfelt tributes, remembering him not merely as a towering political leader, but as one of their own, deeply connected to the soil. Tribute meetings were organised at village squares, public places and party offices across the tehsil. Many places held condolence gatherings to recall his work, while traders kept their establishments closed as a mark of respect.

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Deshmukh family leaves for Baramati

Ajit Pawar’s maternal cousin Nitin Deshmukh had gone to Ganori on Wednesday morning in connection with the ongoing Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections. Upon receiving the tragic news, he immediately returned to Phulambri. Soon after, the entire Deshmukh family left for Baramati.