Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday mourned the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, remembering him as a mass leader with deep grassroots connect.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said Pawar was widely respected for his hard work and dedication to public service in Maharashtra. He highlighted Pawar’s strong understanding of administrative matters and his commitment to empowering the poor and underprivileged.
“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 downtrodden were noteworthy. His untimely demise is shocking and deeply saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti,” PM Modi wrote.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled Pawar’s demise, saying he was deeply distressed by the tragic news. In a post on X, Shah said Pawar’s contribution to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra over the past three and a half decades was beyond words.
“Today, the news of the loss of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague Ajit Pawar ji in a tragic accident has left my heart deeply distressed. Whenever we met, he would engage in detailed discussions on issues related to the welfare of the people of Maharashtra. His passing is a personal loss not only for the NDA family but also for me,” Shah said.
He expressed condolences to the Pawar family and said the entire NDA stood firmly with them in this hour of grief.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant also expressed grief over Pawar’s death, calling it “very sad news.” He said Pawar played a significant role in the development of the Baramati region and described him as a bold leader. Sawant extended his condolences to the Pawar family.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), five people, including crew members, were killed when a chartered aircraft flying from Mumbai to Baramati crash-landed at around 8.45 am on Wednesday. The incident occurred near the runway threshold at Baramati airport. Ajit Pawar was onboard the aircraft along with two staff members and two crew members. Further details are awaited.
Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections. He was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were present.
Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in non-consecutive terms, having held the post six times under various governments, including those led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. (Agencies)
