Political observers warn of a leadership vacuum in the NCP following Ajit Pawar’s death, even as recent civic poll results highlight the party’s fragile standing in Maharashtra.

Mumbai: The sudden death of Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, has triggered intense debate over the future of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with analysts pointing to a looming leadership gap.

Observers note that Pawar’s faction lacks a clear successor with statewide appeal, raising questions about the party’s cohesion and its equation with founder Sharad Pawar, whose Rajya Sabha term ends in April. The uncertainty is compounded by speculation—already present before the tragedy—about a possible reconciliation between the two NCP factions.

Within the ruling Mahayuti, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to focus on preventing defections among the 41 MLAs aligned with Ajit Pawar. Senior leaders Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel remain key organisational figures, but analysts argue they lack the grassroots reach Pawar commanded.

Recent civic elections underline the stakes. The NCP, contesting independently of its allies, won 167 seats across 29 municipal corporations, though it suffered defeats in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, traditional strongholds where the BJP dominated. These results, cited by analysts, suggest the party’s base is intact but vulnerable without strong central leadership.

Analysis: Political watchers believe the coming months will test whether the NCP can stabilise or drift toward reunification with Sharad Pawar’s faction. For local cadres, the immediate concern is clarity—without it, organisational morale and electoral momentum could weaken further. While this assessment reflects opinion, the facts cited above are drawn from the original report.