Hyderabad: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning when a chartered Learjet 45 crashed during a second landing attempt at Baramati Airport. The Bombardier Aerospace jet, registered VT-SSK, veered off the runway and burst into flames, killing all five on board.
The aircraft had taken off from Mumbai and was en route to Baramati, where Pawar intended to address four public meetings before the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections. The crash occurred at 8:45 am. Among the deceased were pilots Sumit Kapoor and Shambhavi Pathak, police officer Vidhit Jadhav, and flight attendant Pinky Mali.
Soon after the incident, hundreds of supporters assembled outside Baramati Hospital, where officials transported Pawar’s body. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis declared a three-day state mourning and announced a public holiday on Wednesday. He and deputy CM Eknath Shinde reached Baramati to coordinate further actions.
State leaders respond to Ajit Pawar’s sudden death
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said officials would finalize the next steps after consulting Pawar’s family. He described the incident as a major blow to the state and highlighted Pawar’s decades of administrative experience.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde called the crash “tragic and regrettable.” He confirmed the launch of an official investigation. Shinde, who worked alongside Pawar in multiple coalition governments, said Pawar consistently brought expertise and discipline to governance.
Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also responded to the tragedy. He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of all five lives and called the event “extremely heartbreaking.” Gandhi extended condolences to the Pawar family and said he stood with the people of Maharashtra during this moment of grief.
PM Modi and Amit Shah express grief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah contacted CM Fadnavis shortly after the incident to receive detailed updates. In a statement on X, the Prime Minister called Pawar’s death “deeply shocking” and praised his grassroots leadership and work ethic.
“Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect,” Modi wrote. “He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra.”
DGCA confirms crash details and aircraft background
According to Baramati airport manager Shivaji Taware, the aircraft lost stability while attempting to land and skidded off the runway before crashing. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the Learjet 45 had five occupants and was operating on a chartered schedule.
The Learjet 45 model has raised concerns in the past. In 2023, a similar model faced a runway incursion at Mumbai airport. However, DGCA clarified that Pawar’s aircraft, registered VT-SSK, was different from the earlier jet, which bore the registration VT-DBL.
Ajit Pawar’s enduring political legacy
Ajit Pawar served as Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister across six terms, making him the longest-tenured leader in the position. He held the role under chief ministers Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, and Eknath Shinde.
His political journey began in 1991 when he won the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, which he soon vacated for his uncle Sharad Pawar. He then secured the Baramati Assembly seat in seven consecutive elections, starting with a by-election in 1991.
Meanwhile, Sunetra Pawar and Supriya Sule, his wife and sister respectively, are on their way to Baramati.