If his rise to power was meteoric, the fall from grace was no less dramatic either. Now in jail for murdering his cousin and Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar, life has come a full circle for former Maharashtra home minister Padamsinh Patil.

Patil’s journey from dusty Ter in Osmanabad, one of the state’s most backward districts, to the top echelons of power, is the stuff fairy tales are made of. But unlike most fairy tales, Patil’s tale is still searching a happy ending.

It all started in 1970 when Sharad Pawar spotted Dr Patil, an ordinary medical practitioner, and brought him into politics. He became a member of the Osmanabad zilla parishad and in 1978, was elected to the state Assembly from the constituency.

Pawar rewarded his “blue-eyed boy” with a place in his Cabinet and in 1986, Patil became the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly. In the next few years, he held plum portfolios like Irrigation, Energy and Home. By marrying his sister to Pawar’s nephew and now Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar, Patil cemented ties with his mentor.

His proximity to influential and powerful people, however, hardly helped Osmanabad, which remains one of the most backward areas in the state. Nearby areas of Latur and Solapur developed more in comparison to Osmanabad.

Patil or ‘Doctor’, as he is known in his circle, was a wrestler and a fitness freak, and not without a reason. He was said to intimidate his opponents with his physical strength and managed to stifle virtually all political opposition until it rose from the most unexpected quarters — his aide and cousin Pawanraje Nimbalkar.

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