From home-cooked meals made in cow-ghee to strict hygiene rules and early starts, colleagues share details of Pawar's tightly planned day
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar with MLA Sandeep Bajoria. Pic/By Special Arrangement
Ajit Pawar’s reputation for discipline extends beyond politics to his food habits and daily routine, say leaders who have spent years working closely with him.
“Though politically we separated, my connection with Ajit dada goes back many years. Till the time we belonged to one party, we would eat together almost every day. And even after that, whenever we are in front of each other, we would not hesitate to share the table. He never brought political separations between us over a plate of food,” MLA Sandeep Bajoria told mid-day. “It’s impossible to imagine Maharashtra without Ajit Pawar. It feels like I will eat with him again in a day or two.”
Bajoria said Pawar followed simple but strict food rules rooted in tradition. He preferred ghee made only from cow’s milk and insisted it be prepared at home, while oil was avoided as far as possible. “Wherever feasible, meals were cooked only in cow milk ghee instead of oil,” he said.
Cleanliness was equally important. “He would never eat without washing his hands and made sure everyone at the table did the same. He would always ask, ‘Kay re… haath dhutle ka?’ before starting the meal,” Bajoria added.
Sharing a few more details, Pankaj Mohod, who once would serve food to Ajit Pawar daily, and is now a partyman of NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction, remembered how Ajit dada’s dabba would always have food sufficient not just for him but also for at least three more people. “He would always ensure that all helping him and all around him are well-fed,” said Mohod.
Mohod also spoke about Pawar’s tightly planned mornings. “His day would begin at 6.15 am with breakfast, followed by his first official appointment at 6.45 am. While having breakfast, he would finish reading an entire Marathi newspaper in about 30 minutes,” he said, adding that while breakfast timing was fixed, lunch and dinner timings were flexible.
Even during hectic political tours, Pawar avoided outside food. “Even if he had headaches due to hunger, he would not eat food from outside and would only have the dabba sent from home. During campaigns, he would ask aides to arrange meals at someone’s house whenever possible, and one of his cooks would often travel with the team to guide food preparation,” Mohod said.
In vegetarian cuisine, Pawar’s favourites included vegetables made from dill leaves (shepuchi bhaji) and fenugreek (methi) leaves. When it came to non-vegetarian food, Pawar preferred seafood.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
