Sambhajirao Kakade, the last of socialist leaders from Pune who was known as the arch-rival of NCP leader Sharad Pawar and his family, died due to old age on Monday. He was 89.
Other than Pawar, who has dominated the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency for consecutive terms, Kakade was the only other leader who won two terms from the seat.
Paying tributes to Kakade, Pawar said in a tweet, “In Kakade’s death, Baramati has lost a strong political leader. As senior Janata Dal leader, he cast his influence on Maharashtra’s political terrain for a long time. He showed direction to new leadership.”
Fondly addressed as Lala, Kakade headed the state Janata Party unit in the 70s and was later with the Janata Dal formed under the leadership of former Prime Minister V P Singh. He was known for his proximity to the Singh. The Kakade family dominated the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank for nearly 25 years before yielding to the might of the Pawar family.
“The Kakade family and Pawar family are well-known in Pune district. The Kakade family strongly opposed the Pawars on political terrain and outside. They did everything to outdo each other…,” recalled Manav Kamble, a close associate.
Kakade was the contemporary of the stalwarts like S M Joshi, Mohan Dhariya and Nanasaheb Gore. “They were all socialist leaders from Pune who were acclaimed for their leadership qualities and their untiring work for the society at large. Kakade worked in close association with them,” said Congress leader Ramesh Iyer.
BJP leader Mahesh Kulkarni said Kakade had won two Lok Sabha elections from Baramati. “Once in the general elections after Emergency was lifted in 1977. Then he had defeated Barrister Vithalrao Gadil of the Congress. And the second time was in a bypoll in 1985 after Sharad Pawar had resigned,” he said. Pawar was with Congress (S).
In the 1977 election, the Janata Party had won all the three seats of Pune city, Baramati and Khed in Pune district during what was described as the “Janata Party wave.”
Incidentally, Iyer said, “Though Kakade was a strong opponent of Pawar. It was Pawar who had supported Kakade in the bypoll in 1985. Kakade had won the election then.”
Kakade’s nephew Viraj had also once contested from Baramati but lost the election.
In 2004, Kakade decided to contest from Baramati but withdrew from the race after it became known that Pawar was suffering from an illness, Iyer said. “Kakade had issued a statement to the effect, saying he was withdrawing from the poll race in support of Pawar who was suffering from a serious disease,” he said.
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The Kakade family lives on Tilak Road and runs the Somweshwar Sugar factory in Baramati.
Kakade was first elected as MLC in 1971. His associates said he always opposed the Congress and never left the Janata Party ideology. Though old age had caught up with him, he would make all efforts to attend a rally held in public interest. “Once he came all the way to Pimpri-Chinchwad even though he could barely walk. His commitment to the public cause was incomparable,” said Kamble.
“One thing was certain about ‘Lala’, if anyone went to him seeking any kind of help, he or she would never return empty-handed. Sambhajirao was a large-hearted and generous soul. He never thought twice before extending help to whoever that person happened to be, especially those who were in distress. And that is the reason why he had decided to withdrew from poll race when it became known that Sharad Pawar was ailing with a serious disease,” Kamble said.
