Ratnakar Mahajan: A spokesperson par excellence and a Congress loyalist till end

Senior Congress leader Ratnakar Mahajan, widely recognized as a "scholarly spokesperson," has died at his home in Pimpri-Chinchwad at the age of 80. Political figures and colleagues hailed him for his thoughtful demeanor, logical articulation of the party's stance, and abstaining from inflammatory language when debating opponents.

Mahajan, who went through imprisonment during the Emergency, had previously held the position of executive chairman of the Maharashtra State Planning Board. Initially joining the Janata Dal in the 1990s, he later switched to the Congress, moved to the NCP upon its inception in 1999, and returned to the Congress as a senior spokesperson and vice-president of MPCC, remaining resolute in his allegiance to the party amidst dissenting voices.

Born in Indapur in 1946, Mahajan graduated from Pune and was passionate about politics as well as social work. Considered a socialist thinker and political analyst, he was inspired by socialist ideology and incarcerated during the Emergency. His ideological foundation was rooted in progressive thinkers like Jayaprakash Narayan, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, S M Joshi, N G Goray, and G P Pradhan.

His close associates described Mahajan as a practitioner of Gandhian thought who consistently upheld his principles and values throughout his life.

Political leader Harshvardhan Sapkal, president of MPCC, mourned the loss of Mahajan, calling him a "monumental loss" to Maharashtra's social, political, and intellectual realms. Sapkal lauded Mahajan as a scholar and restrained leader who devoted his life to intellectual guidance for society. NCP chief Sharad Pawar, too, expressed deep sorrow, noting that Mahajan had forged a unique identity within the socialist movement and the public life of Maharashtra.

Pawar praised Mahajan's mastery of Marathi and logical reasoning which helped him gain a distinct identity in the socialist movement and public life of Maharashtra.

Former MPCC president Prashant Jagtap also paid tribute to Mahajan, highlighting his intellectual acumen and ability to distill complex issues into simple language, making them accessible to the common people. Jagtap lamented the loss of an intellectual and balanced personality to the Congress party and public life following Mahajan's passing.