Shiv Sena Leader Tanaji Sawant Faces Backlash Over Son’s Flight Recall Controversy
Pune, 13th February 2025: Shiv Sena leader Tanaji Sawant’s political ascent has been rapid, but a recent mid-air controversy may lead to a turbulent phase in his career. The former Maharashtra Water and Soil Conservation Minister is now facing criticism following an incident involving his son, Rushiraj.
Two days ago, Sawant raised an alarm over an alleged kidnapping of Rushiraj, prompting urgent interventions from the Pune police, aviation authorities, and even officials in Thailand. However, it later emerged that Rushiraj was merely on a chartered flight to Bangkok with friends. Due to Sawant’s intervention, the flight was recalled, sparking backlash and demands for accountability.
Defending his actions, Sawant claimed his concerns were valid, as Rushiraj had left without informing the family. Meanwhile, Rushiraj, 32, admitted he deliberately withheld his travel plans, fearing disapproval so soon after a Dubai trip. The Opposition has accused Sawant of misusing government resources for a personal issue.
Hailing from Barshi taluka in Solapur district, Sawant, as per his 2024 election affidavit, holds an electrical engineering degree, a PhD, and was previously a professor at an engineering college. His transition from academia to establishing the Jayawant Shikshan Prasarak Mandal Trust remains somewhat unclear. The trust, which began with an engineering college in Pune in 2001, has since expanded into humanities, management, pharmacy, and school education. Rushiraj is actively involved in both the trust and the family’s business ventures.
Like many influential politicians in Maharashtra, Sawant has significant interests in the sugar industry. His firm manages multiple sugar mills in Solapur and Dharashiv (Osmanabad). Notably, he played a key role in reviving the once-defunct Terna Cooperative Sugar Mill, a major player in Marathwada. However, the mill has a history of conflict, with a power struggle between former NCP minister Padmasinh Patil and his cousin Pavanraje Nimbalkar resulting in Nimbalkar’s murder. Patil, now with the BJP, was jailed in 2009 before securing bail, and the trial is ongoing.
Sawant entered politics through the Shiv Sena and became an MLC in 2016 under the party’s united leadership. His close ties with Uddhav Thackeray accelerated his rise, leading to his appointment as Maharashtra’s Water and Soil Conservation Minister in 2019 under the NDA government led by Devendra Fadnavis.
During his tenure, he made headlines by blaming crabs for a dam breach in July 2019 that claimed 19 lives. He alleged that the creatures caused a leak in a recently repaired dam, a statement that led the NCP to stage a symbolic protest by releasing crabs outside his residence.
Sawant was also embroiled in a public dispute with former MP and farmers’ leader Raju Shetti over alleged unpaid sugarcane dues at his sugar mill.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena fielded him from Bhoom Paranda in Dharashiv, where he secured an unexpected victory over NCP’s Rahul Mote. However, after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) formed the government, Sawant was denied a ministerial position. This dissatisfaction led him to side with Eknath Shinde when the Sena split in 2022. He later claimed to have played a role in persuading MLAs to join the Shinde faction.
When Shinde took charge as Chief Minister, Sawant was appointed as Health Minister. However, tensions arose when the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction joined the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition. In a widely circulated remark, Sawant expressed his discontent by stating he felt “nauseous” sitting next to Ajit Pawar.
In the 2023 Assembly elections, he was re-elected from Paranda with a narrow margin of just over 1,500 votes. Though he no longer holds a ministerial position, he remains a powerful figure due to his influence in the sugar and education sectors. He has also frequently clashed with Sena (UBT) MP Omraje Nimbalkar.
However, his political standing suffered a setback during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where he actively campaigned for Mahayuti candidate Archana Ranajagjitsinh Patil, only to see Nimbalkar secure a decisive victory.
The controversy surrounding Sawant’s actions in recalling his son’s flight has now placed scrutiny on Pune MP Muralidhar Mohol, the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and a BJP leader, who allegedly facilitated the intervention.
Meanwhile, the most unexpected twist in the episode was Rushiraj’s apparent obliviousness to the situation—believing he had arrived in Bangkok when, in reality, he had been flown back to Pune.
