New Delhi: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar passed away on Wednesday morning when his chartered business jet crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport. Flight-tracking platform FlightRadar24 confirmed the crash, noting that the aircraft went down during a renewed landing attempt, prompting an immediate emergency response.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Mumbai-Baramati chartered plane crash-landed around 8:45 am at the runway threshold. The DGCA described Baramati’s airstrip as a “tabletop runway,” and the aircraft reportedly crashed at the tip while attempting to land. All five people on board—including Pawar, two crew members, and two accompanying personnel—died in the accident.
Ajit Pawar, 66, was traveling with a personal security officer and an attendant, while the aircraft was operated by a pilot-in-command and a second-in-command. The accompanying personnel were identified as Vidip Jadhav and Pinky Mali, and the pilots as Sumit Kapur and Shambhavi Pathak. Pawar had been heading to Baramati to attend public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections. The previous day, he had attended a Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure meeting in Mumbai, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Emergency services and senior security officials responded swiftly to the crash site, with three bodies transported to Baramati Medical College for identification. A DGCA team also arrived to begin an on-ground assessment. Locals rushed to the scene as news of the crash spread, and authorities indicated that further details would be released after investigation.
Ajit Pawar was a six-time Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, serving under Congress, Shiv Sena, and BJP-led governments. Known for his work ethic and punctuality, his political journey included terms as Baramati MLA and a brief stint as a Lok Sabha MP. Pawar’s career was marked by a split in the NCP in 2019 and another break from his uncle Sharad Pawar’s faction in 2023. At the time of his death, he was serving as Maharashtra’s Finance and Planning Minister and was scheduled to present the 2026–27 state budget.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described Pawar’s death as “an unprecedented loss,” emphasizing their long-standing friendship and Pawar’s dedication to the state’s development. “In personal life, he was a good friend. We faced many challenges together,” Fadnavis said, announcing that he and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde would travel to Baramati immediately.
National leaders also expressed grief. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Pawar a leader with “a strong grassroots-level connect” and highlighted his commitment to empowering the poor and underprivileged. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was “deeply pained,” describing Pawar’s death as a personal loss. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to his dedication to public service, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called the loss “deeply shocking and profoundly distressing,” noting the immense grief of Pawar’s family, supporters, and admirers.
The sudden demise of Ajit Pawar has left a significant void in Maharashtra’s leadership, and the state continues to mourn the passing of one of its most influential and hardworking political figures.
