India, Jan. 29 -- The sudden death of Ajit Pawar is expected to have a significant impact on Maharashtra politics, which has been witnessing upheavals since 2019, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray parted ways.

Pawar was the deputy chief minister and head of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has 41 MLAs in the state assembly and is a key constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. The party has a strong presence in western and northern Maharashtra. Pawar was also a powerful figure in the cooperative sector and a prominent leader from the Maratha community, which has been dominant in the state's politics.

At least in the immediate term, Pawar's death is unlikely to affect ...