India, Jan. 29 -- Ajit Pawar was among the rooted to the ground political leader Maharashtra has seen in the last three decades. On the ground, he was difficult to defeat and even harder to sideline. He built networks, controlled resources, managed elections and had the ability to get his colleagues elected or even defeat rivals in their own strongholds.

Yet, despite repeated victories, firm control over numbers and unmatched administrative experience, his long-cherished ambition of becoming chief minister remained unfulfilled.

Ajit Pawar's political strength came from his deep understanding of grassroots politics and agrarian economy. Rustic in nature and direct in approach, he had a strong connect across regions of Maharashtra. He und...