Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday morning. According to news agency PTI, the aircraft carrying Ajit Pawar crashed during landing in Pune district, killing him and three other people on board. The incident happened when he was travelling to his hometown to attend public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections.

Soon after the news of his death spread, several political leaders expressed grief and shock. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde remembered Ajit Pawar and said that he was like an elder brother to him. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also reacted to the incident and described it as heartbreaking.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Ajit Pawar’s death deeply shocking. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra.” The Prime Minister also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to get updates on the situation. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also contacted the Chief Minister to understand the details of the incident.

Ajit Pawar’s family members rushed to Baramati after hearing the news. His wife, Sunetra Pawar and his sister Supriya Sule, left for Baramati soon after the incident. Ajit Pawar’s brother, Shriniwas Pawar, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He told Hindustan Times, “It’s a very sad moment for us. No one survived the crash. My son Yugendra is in the hospital at Baramati. We are all headed to Baramati. The last rites will be in Baramati.”

According to officials, the accident took place when the aircraft was attempting to land at Baramati airport. Baramati airport manager Shivaji Taware shared details of the crash and said, “The aircraft VT SSK was attempting a landing, and the aircraft went off the side of the runway and crashed.” He further said that the aircraft was a Learjet 45 which had been chartered from Mumbai.

Ajit Pawar was on his way to Baramati to address four public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections when the incident occurred. The crash happened in the morning, shocking political circles and the people of Maharashtra. Reports said that the aircraft lost control while landing and crashed near the runway.

Ajit Pawar had a long political career and was one of the most prominent leaders in Maharashtra politics. He was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in a non-consecutive manner. He served as Deputy Chief Minister six times in different governments. He worked as Deputy Chief Minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

Ajit Pawar entered the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1991 from the Baramati Parliamentary constituency. Later, he gave up the seat for his uncle Sharad Pawar. He won the Baramati Assembly constituency seven times. His first victory came in a 1991 by-election. After that, he won elections in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. Throughout his political journey, he remained closely connected to the people of Baramati and Maharashtra.

His death has left the political world and his supporters in deep shock. Leaders from different parties expressed condolences and remembered him as a hardworking leader with strong grassroots connections. The incident has also raised questions about aircraft safety during landing operations.

The last rites of Ajit Pawar will be held in Baramati, where his family members and supporters are gathering to pay their final respects.