Shri. Sharadchandra Pawar has been an early entrant to politics, becoming President of the State Youth Congress at the young age of 24. He became a member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly for the first time in 1967, representing the then undivided Congress party from Baramati. He went on to be elected as the General Secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee and also Secretary of the Congress Legislature Party in Maharashtra.
In 1969, he became a member of the State cabinet. From 1972 to 1974, he held the post of Minister of State for various departments such as Home, Food, Civil Supplies, Youth Welfare and Sports among others.
In 1974, he became Cabinet Minister of Govt. of Maharashtra holding
portfolios like Education, Agriculture, Industries, Home, Labour and
Youth Welfare.
In 1978, he became one of the youngest Chief Ministers in India and
the youngest in Maharashtra (at the age of 38), heading the Progressive
Democratic Front coalition government, with the Janata Party. He was
Chief Minister for four terms from 1978-80, 1988-91 and 1993-95.
He founded the Congress (S) Party and was its President from 1982 to
1987. From 1981 to 1986, he was the Leader of the Opposition in the
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
After being out of the Congress party for nine years, Shri Pawar rejoined
the Congress in 1987. Mr Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister and Congress
President, chose Shri Pawar to lead the State Government in Maharashtra.
He was given the responsibility to curtail the rise of the Shiv Sena
in state politics, which was threatening the dominating presence of
the Congress party in Maharashtra.
Shri Pawar fulfilled the trust reposed in him in the 1989 Lok Sabha
elections by enabling the Congress to win 28 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra.
In the subsequent assembly elections in February1990, the Congress retained
power, though falling short of an absolute majority for the first time,
winning 141 out of 288 seats. With the support of 12 independent MLAs,
Shri Sharad Pawar was sworn in as Chief Minister again on 4th March
1990.
Under the leadership of Shri Pawar, in the mid-term Parliamentary elections
of 1991, the Congress in Maharashtra was able to enhance its performance,
by winning 38 seats out of 48.
On former Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination during election
campaign , Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao became the leader of the Congress
Parliamentary Party and thereafter the Prime Minister. Shri Pawar was
asked to join the Union Cabinet by Mr. Rao. He was sworn in on June
26, 1991, and handled the crucial portfolio of Defence.
Shri Pawar was sent back to Mumbai to head the State Government in Maharashtra for his fourth term on March 6th 1993.
In 1996, Mr Pawar was re-elected for the third term to the 11th Lok
Sabha. He was actively involved as a member of the Committee on Science
and Technology, Environment and Forests. On being again elected (4th
term) to the 12th Lok Sabha, he was elected as Leader of the Opposition
of the Lok Sabha. During 1998-99, he was elected as a member of the
i] General Purposes Committee
ii] Committee on External Affairs and its sub-committee-II
iii] Consultative Committee, Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Shri Sharad Pawar was re-elected (5th term) to the 13th Lok Sabha in
1999 and led the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the Lok Sabha.
He was again elected as member of
i] General Purposes Committee
ii] Agriculture Committee
iii] Committee on Ethics
He was also the Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Disaster
Management.
Shri Pawar continued his successful run when he was elected (6th term)
to the 14th Lok Sabha. He was inducted into the Union Cabinet on 23rd
May 2004 and is handling the vital portfolios of Agriculture, Consumer
Affairs and Public Distribution.
