Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy CM, Dies in Plane Crash Near Baramati
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash near Baramati airport on January 28, 2026. The Bombardier Learjet 45, operated by Delhi-based charter company VSR, went down during its second emergency landing attempt amid poor visibility.
The crash occurred around 8:40 am, claiming the lives of all five people on board — Ajit Pawar, two pilots (Sumit Kapoor and Sambhavi Pathak), and two security personnel. The aircraft was engulfed in flames and completely destroyed.
Ajit Pawar, 66, was a towering figure in Maharashtra politics. Nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, he was affectionately known as “Dada” and had represented Baramati as MLA for eight terms. Over his decades-long career, he held key portfolios including finance, irrigation, energy, rural development, and water supply.
In 2023, Pawar played a decisive role in splitting the NCP and aligning with the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, later continuing as Deputy CM after the Mahayuti coalition’s victory in the 2024 Assembly elections.
He is survived by his wife, Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar, and two sons — Parth Pawar, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections unsuccessfully, and Jay Pawar, a businessman.
Ajit Pawar’s sudden death leaves a major void in Maharashtra’s political landscape, particularly within the NCP and the ruling alliance. Tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum, acknowledging his pragmatic leadership and deep roots in the cooperative and farming sectors.
