New Delhi: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning after a chartered aircraft carrying him crashed and burst into flames near Baramati in Pune district. Four other people on board, including two crew members and two of Pawar’s staff, were also killed. Authorities said there were no survivors.
The aircraft, a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures, was flying from Mumbai to Baramati, where Pawar was scheduled to campaign for the upcoming zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the jet took off from Mumbai at around 8.10 am and lost contact with radar shortly before 8.45 am while attempting to land.
Initial information suggests the aircraft was trying to make a second approach to Baramati airport when it went down in an open field a few hundred metres from the runway. Visuals from the scene showed burning wreckage scattered across farmland, with thick smoke rising as rescue teams and residents rushed to the site. The fire, however, was intense, and repeated explosions were reported after impact.
Officials said poor visibility near the runway may have been a factor, though the exact cause of the crash is yet to be established. A formal investigation has been ordered by the aviation regulator.
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. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and… pic.twitter.com/mdgwwGzw4R
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026
Ajit Pawar, 66, was one of Maharashtra’s most influential and assertive political leaders. A six-time deputy chief minister, he led a faction of the Nationalist Congress Party that aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance. He had recently consolidated his political standing after the 2024 assembly elections, in which his party won 41 of the 59 seats it contested.
Pawar hailed from Baramati, a political stronghold of the Pawar family, and built his career through the cooperative movement before emerging as a dominant figure in state politics. He was known for his organisational skills, electoral strength, and firm grip over western Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep shock at Pawar’s death, while condolences poured in from leaders across party lines. The Maharashtra government announced that full state honours would be accorded at his funeral. Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member, and two sons, Parth and Jay.
