Beed mourns loss of ‘true guardian’ who rekindled hopes of development

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Ajit Pawar took charge of Beed as guardian minister in Jan 2025 when the district was at a low, battling lawlessness and caste feuds following the brutal abduction -murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. To effect a quick and positive turnaround, the veteran politician focused on the brass tacks — curbing crime and developing infrastructure. Residents of Beed, who had pinned their hopes on Ajit Pawar, are now mourning the loss of their "true guardian".Soon after taking charge of the district, Pawar had immediately instructed the police to take strict action against criminals. He even warned his party workers against the misuse of political connections.Pawar also visited Beed multiple times and started several key projects, including an airport, a Centre for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training, construction of a sports complex and conservation of the ancient Kankaleshwar temple. The deputy CM ensured Beed, considered one of the most backward districts in Maharashtra, got onto the rail map. The district, which had been waiting for railway connectivity since Independence, saw the maiden train plying on the Beed-Ahilyangar route on Marathwada Liberation Day on Sept 17, 2025.In the last meeting of the district planning and development council (DPDC), he sanctioned a record Rs 575 crore for various public projects in the district, and on Jan 24, the first instalment of Rs 22.3 crore was released specifically for road works.Just when the Beed residents had started rekindling hopes of development, the news of Pawar's demise came. Different markets and shops in Beed were voluntarily shut by owners on Wednesday as a tribute to Pawar.Prashant Vaidya, a local businessman, said Beed had started seeking positive changes after a long gap under Pawar's leadership. "Within a year, he had taken up several public works. He visited Beed on multiple occasions and interacted with people from different walks of life. Pawar was a true guardian of Beed," he said.Yashwant Joshi, another resident, said Pawar's presence as the guardian minister made a huge difference. "He specifically asked the officials and politicians to first pay attention to basic civic issues. He zeroed in on long-pending issues, including garbage disposal, erratic water supply and poor roads," he said.NCP's Beed district president Rajeshwar Chavan said Pawar was obsessed with the agenda of Beed's development. "He took over as the guardian minister amid a huge turmoil in Beed. He focused on development projects and repeatedly appealed to residents for social harmony by setting aside caste differences. We are at a loss for words to express our sadness," he said.On the political front, Pawar caused a major shift on the political canvas of Beed by dispelling the politically strong Kshirsagar family from the Beed municipal council during the recent polls.