Maharashtra deputy chief minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar and five others on board died after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Baramati town of Pune district on Wednesday morning. The plane, a Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR, crashed while attempting an emergency landing at around 8.45 am, according to officials and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Ajit Pawar was on board along with two other personnel — a personal security officer and an attendant — and two crew members, including the pilot-in-command and first officer. According to initial reports, no one on board survived the crash.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to receive updates on the incident, the state government said.
Shocking, Painful, Heart-rending
Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said to news agency ANI, “This is very shocking, painful and heart-rending. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji, Sunetra ji, Parth and Jay. I also express sympathies to lakhs and crores of people in Baramati… Going away like this is very painful.”Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant also mourned the Deputy CM, he said, “I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family.”
Aircraft Engulfed in Flames | Harrowing Visuals
Visuals from the crash site showed the aircraft engulfed in flames as villagers and emergency responders gathered at the spot. Ajit Pawar was born into a political family and was married to Sunetra Pawar. He is survived by his two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. He began his political career in 1982 after being elected to the board of a cooperative sugar factory. In 1991, he became chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank, strengthening his influence in local politics. The same year, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati but later vacated the seat for his uncle, Sharad Pawar.
Ajit Pawar went on to win seven terms as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Baramati, including a 1991 by-election and subsequent victories in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014. In November 2019, he played a key role in the split within the Nationalist Congress Party and joined the BJP-led government as Deputy Chief Minister. In February 2024, the Election Commission recognised his faction as the official NCP and awarded it the party name and symbol. His political career spanned more than four decades, with significant contributions to Maharashtra’s governance and development, particularly in the Baramati region.
