India, Feb. 2 -- The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday brought the Asthi Kalash (urn containing ashes) of former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar to the party's state office in Mumbai, marking the beginning of an initiative to take his ashes across Maharashtra to allow party workers and citizens to pay their respects.

Sunil Tatkare, state president, NCP, performed ritual worship (poojan) of the ashes at the party office on Sunday. Tatkare said the NCP had decided to take Ajit Pawar's Asthi Kalash to every district in the state as a tribute to his political legacy and contribution to Maharashtra.

"The initiative will give people across Maharashtra an opportunity to pay their last respects to Ajit Dada," Tatkare said....