The tragic death of Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, in an air crash Wednesday leaves an empty space, bringing to an abrupt end the career of a politician of his time. His death also forecloses the possibilities that still lay ahead, perhaps, for the man who wanted to be chief minister. “Ajit dada” kept the organisation intact, engaged with milk unions and sugar cooperatives and coordinated with other players and parties. When the NCP split in 2023, the majority of NCP workers saw their future with him. His faction’s performance in the 2024 assembly election seemed to cement his claim to leading the real NCP.