On January 28, 2026, Maharashtra was struck by the sudden and tragic news of the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. He was killed in a private chartered aircraft crash while traveling from Mumbai to his political fortress of Baramati. The small jet, a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Aviation, went down near the threshold of the Baramati airport runway at approximately 8:45 AM. Along with the sixty-six-year-old leader, four other people on board perished in the disaster, including his personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, a personal attendant named Pinky Mali, and the two pilots, Sumit Kapoor and Shambhavi Pathak. There were no survivors.

The flight had departed from Mumbai about thirty-five minutes prior. Pawar was on his way to address several public meetings for the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections. Preliminary investigations and air traffic records suggest that the crash was influenced by poor visibility and dense fog. The pilots initially informed the ground that the runway was not in sight and attempted a go-around. On the second approach, they reported having the runway in sight and were cleared to land. However, no readback of the landing clearance was heard from the cockpit, and within a minute, airport staff saw flames erupting near the runway threshold. Witnesses described the aircraft as appearing unstable before it hit the ground and exploded multiple times. The impact was so severe that bodies were unrecognisable and identifications had to be made through personal items.

Ajit Pawar, affectionately known as Dada, was a powerhouse in Maharashtra politics for over four decades. He was the nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar and had been a central figure in the state government, serving as Deputy Chief Minister for a record six non-consecutive terms under various coalitions. His political style was often described as decisive, hands-on, and blunt. He was highly regarded for his administrative grip, strict punctuality, and deep grassroots connection, particularly in the agricultural sugarcane belt of western Maharashtra. In 2023, he made a major move by splitting from his uncle's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party to join the BJP-led government, a decision that fundamentally reshaped the state's political map.

The news of his death created a significant leadership vacuum and left the town of Baramati in a state of shock and silence. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced three days of state mourning and a public holiday to honor his late colleague, describing him as a strong and large-hearted friend whose contribution to development was immense. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other national leaders across the political spectrum expressed profound shock, calling him a leader of the people with an unparalleled understanding of administrative matters. At the time of his death, there was growing speculation about a possible reconciliation between the two factions of the NCP, as family members had recently been seen together and local electoral alliances had been formed. His passing leaves the future of his party faction and the political equilibrium of the state in a state of existential uncertainty. He is survived by his wife Sunetra, who is a Rajya Sabha member, and two sons, Parth and Jay. His final rites were scheduled to be performed with full state honours in his native village of Katewadi.

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