Veteran Indian politician Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister of the western state of Maharashtra, has died in a plane crash along with four others, officials confirmed on Wednesday. The accident occurred in the early hours as Pawar’s aircraft was attempting to land at Baramati airport. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, and investigators are en route to the site to probe the tragic incident.
Pawar’s death has sent shockwaves across India’s political landscape. Known as one of the most influential leaders in Maharashtra—the country’s wealthiest state—Pawar had a political career spanning decades, during which he held several key positions and helped shape the state’s governance.
The Maharashtra government has declared three days of official mourning in the wake of the tragedy. Flags will fly at half-mast, and schools and government offices will remain closed during this period. Pawar’s funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 11:00 local time (05:30 GMT), and senior national leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend.
Eyewitnesses and officials gathered outside the Baramati hospital, where Pawar’s body was taken, described large crowds of mourners, party members and supporters grieving the loss of the long-time leader.
According to aviation tracking service FlightRadar24, Pawar’s Learjet departed from Mumbai and approached Baramati airport at around 08:30 local time (03:00 GMT). Just before landing, the aircraft suddenly accelerated, began to ascend, and circled back. During a second landing attempt, the aircraft’s signal was lost, and it subsequently burst into flames near the runway.
Preliminary information from Federal Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu suggests that poor visibility at the time may have been a factor. The aircraft had been cleared for landing after multiple attempts but did not communicate with air traffic control before the signal cut out. Teams from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have reached the crash site to carry out a detailed investigation.
Pawar’s political journey began in the Indian National Congress, following in the footsteps of his uncle and party heavyweight Sharad Pawar. When Sharad Pawar left the Congress in 1999 to found the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Ajit Pawar joined him and quickly rose through the ranks. He served as both a Member of Parliament and Member of the Legislative Assembly in Maharashtra and held the deputy chief minister post under various administrations.
In 2023, Ajit Pawar led a factional split from the original NCP, aligning with the state’s BJP-led government and securing the deputy chief ministership with the support of many party legislators. The move reshaped Maharashtra’s political dynamics, ending decades of unity within the Pawar family’s political legacy.
In recent weeks, after civic elections in Pune and Mumbai, there had been speculation about a possible merger between the two NCP factions led by Ajit Pawar and his uncle, Sharad Pawar. Some analysts believed Ajit might lead a reunified party. With his passing, such possibilities have been abruptly halted.
Political observers now question whether Ajit Pawar’s faction can remain cohesive without its strongest leader, and whether figures like Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, and Ajit’s wife Sunetra Pawar can help maintain unity within the party.
Political analyst Abhay Deshpande noted that while reconciliation between family members may have seemed unlikely in recent months, Ajit Pawar’s death could paradoxically bring the family back together. “Now we’ll never see that day,” Deshpande said. “But maybe his passing will bring the family together again.”
Ajit Pawar’s death marks the end of a significant chapter in Maharashtra’s political history and leaves a leadership void that will resonate across the state’s future governance.
