Senior BJP leader and sitting MP from Pune Girish Bapat who passed away on Wednesday will always be remembered for strengthening his party base in the Congress bastion and home district of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
The 73-year-old had made his strong presence in Pune city politics for three decades. Bapat was popular among all political parties and had cordial relations with everyone. He had established himself in politics in the Congress bastion by getting elected thrice to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), five times to Maharashtra legislative assembly from Kasba, and to Lok Sabha in 2019 from Pune.
He was the face of Pune in the state cabinet during the BJP rule under Devendra Fadnavis and was the ultimate choice for being the guardian minister of Pune from 2014 to 2019 which was earlier held by Ajit Pawar during the Congress-NCP rule and recently during MVA rule.
Bapat had led the BJP in city politics against Suresh Kalmadi in the past and then Ajit Pawar. The party came to power in PMC for the first time during his tenure as the guardian minister of Pune.
Bapat started his political career as a corporator in PMC and was the legislator for five terms consecutively in the state assembly before being elected to Lok Sabha in 2019. Bapat was the cabinet minister in the Fadnavis government from 2014 to 2019.
In the recent past, the supporters of Bapat were upset at BJP inducting former Rajya Sabha Independent MP Sanjay Kakade into the party and also getting Chandrakant Patil into Pune’s politics. The party realising the significance of Bapat in city politics could not sideline him completely and instead had to rely on him during the recently held byelection of Kasba assembly following the death of sitting legislator Mukta Tilak.
The BJP faced criticism for roping in an ailing Bapat for electioneering and had to face defeat in a seat held by the party in the last six elections.
Bapat will always be known for his contribution to pushing development projects in the city. He regularly followed up on mega projects of Metro rail, riverfront development, and improvement of traffic and public transport in the city.
In a recently held function, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had said that the popularity of Bapat in Pune was so much that the Opposition failed to defeat him even after trying different strategies.
In his condolence message, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the state has lost a prominent leader who grew from a corporator to a legislator to MP. “Bapat was known for his strong public relations. He was very knowledgeable and had information on all fields,” he said.
Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that Bapat was known as a well-cultured politician who focused on social work and development-based politics without bringing in caste, religion, language or party in it. “I have lost a senior colleague and dear friend. He will be missed in Pune district and state politics,” he said.
Former union minister Prakash Jawadekar recalled his association with Bapat and said that they knew each other from school days. “It is a sad day for me as our association of 58 years has come to an end. He grew from a corporator, legislator to MP. He actively participated in protests against Emergency and fulfilled his responsibilities as an MP. He constantly worked to resolve various issues of the city,” he said.
