A Dark Wednesday for Maharashtra: Remembering Ajit Pawar

​The morning of January 28, 2026, started like any other busy day in the political heart of Maharashtra. But by 9:00 AM, the atmosphere shifted from routine to shock. News began to trickle in about a tragic aviation accident in Baramati. It was soon confirmed that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a titan of state politics, had lost his life in a plane crash. Along with him, four others on board the aircraft also perished. It is a day that will be etched in the memory of the state as a moment of profound loss and sudden, quiet grief.

​Ajit Pawar was a man of action. He was known for his early morning starts and his relentless work ethic. On this specific Wednesday, he was heading to his home turf of Baramati. He had a packed schedule of four public meetings to address ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections. For a leader who spent decades building Baramati into a model of development, there was no place he felt more at home. Sadly, the very soil he worked so hard to transform became the site of his final moments.

​The Final Flight from Mumbai

​The journey began in Mumbai. Ajit Pawar had been in the capital on Tuesday for a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure. He was always focused on the "next project," the next bridge, or the next irrigation scheme. On Wednesday morning, he boarded a Learjet 45, a chartered aircraft operated by a Delhi-based firm. The flight was supposed to be a short, routine hop from Mumbai to Baramati.

​On board with him were two of his trusted staff members—a Personal Security Officer and a personal attendant. The cockpit was manned by two experienced pilots. Everything seemed normal when the small jet took off around 8:00 AM. But as the plane approached the Baramati airstrip about 45 minutes later, something went terribly wrong.

​Tragedy at the Threshold

​Witnesses near the Baramati airport described a harrowing scene. The aircraft was making its final approach for landing when it appeared to struggle. According to preliminary reports from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the plane went off the side of the runway during the landing attempt. The impact was violent. Within seconds, the wreckage was engulfed in flames, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky.

​Local residents were the first to rush toward the site. They hoped to find survivors and offer help, but the intensity of the fire made rescue nearly impossible. Emergency teams arrived shortly after, but the damage was done. By the time the flames were doused, officials confirmed the heartbreaking reality: there were no survivors. At 66 years old, the man often called "Dada" by his supporters was gone.

​A Career Built on Grit

​To understand why this news has hit Maharashtra so hard, one has to look at the legacy Ajit Pawar leaves behind. He wasn’t just a politician; he was an institution. He served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a record six terms. Whether he was with the undivided Nationalist Congress Party or leading his own faction later in his career, his influence was undeniable.

​He was the nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, but Ajit carved out a distinct identity for himself. He was the "administrator-in-chief." If you wanted a file moved or a project finished on time, you went to Ajit Pawar. He was known for his bluntness and his "no-nonsense" attitude. While his political career had its share of controversies and dramatic shifts, his commitment to the administrative machinery of the state was never questioned.

​Baramati: The House That Ajit Built

​While he was a state leader, his heart always beat for Baramati. He transformed the region from a drought-prone area into a lush, industrial and educational hub. From world-class colleges to massive sugar cooperatives and clean city infrastructure, his fingerprints are everywhere in the district.

​The people of Baramati didn't just see him as a leader; they saw him as a guardian. It is particularly tragic that he was returning to talk to his people about local governance and development when the accident occurred. The silence in the streets of Baramati today is a testament to the void he has left behind.

​The Human Toll of the Crash

​While the headlines focus on the Deputy Chief Minister, we must also remember the four other lives lost. Two crew members and two dedicated staff members also did not return home to their families. These were individuals doing their jobs—the pilots navigating the skies and the aides ensuring the leader’s safety and schedule.

​Their families are now facing an unimaginable suddenness of grief. In the high-stakes world of politics, the "people behind the person" often go unnamed, but their loss is just as heavy. The pilots, identified in early reports as the Pilot-in-Command and the First Officer, were professionals whose lives ended in a split-second technical failure.

​A State in Mourning

​As news of the crash spread, a wave of shock moved through the Maharashtra Assembly and beyond. Leaders from all political parties, even those who were his fiercest rivals, expressed their condolences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to express their shock.

​The Pawar family, which has been at the center of Maharashtra's political narrative for over half a century, is now united in grief. Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, who were in Delhi for the budget session, immediately made arrangements to return to Pune. Despite the political divisions that had surfaced in recent years, the family bond remains the core of their identity, and this tragedy has shaken that foundation.

​Investigating the Cause

​Questions are already being asked about how such an accident could happen. The Learjet 45 is generally considered a reliable business jet. Weather conditions in Baramati were reported to be clear at the time of the landing. The DGCA has launched a full-scale investigation to look into the "black box" and the flight data recorders.

​Was it a sudden engine failure? A bird strike? Or a technical glitch with the landing gear? These answers will come in time, but they will do little to ease the pain of the families involved. For now, the crash site has been cordoned off as investigators sift through the charred remains of VT-SSK to find the truth behind those final seconds.

​The Legacy Left Behind

​Ajit Pawar’s passing leaves a massive vacuum in Maharashtra's political landscape. He was a master of the "grassroots" game, understanding the intricate web of cooperatives and local bodies like no one else. His departure comes at a crucial time for the state, with local elections on the horizon and major infrastructure projects mid-way.

​But more than the politics, people will remember the man who was always "on the clock." They will remember the leader who would start his day at 6:00 AM, meeting common citizens and solving their problems one by one. His style was unique—tough, sometimes abrasive, but always aimed at getting the job done.

​Moving Forward with Heavy Hearts

​Maharashtra has seen many political transitions, but few as sudden and tragic as this. As the state prepares for the final rites and a period of official mourning, the focus remains on the family and the survivors of the other victims.

​The legacy of Ajit Pawar will live on in the roads of Baramati, the dams of Western Maharashtra, and the corridors of the Mantralaya in Mumbai. He was a man who lived his life at a fast pace, always looking toward the future. It is a cruel irony that his journey ended so abruptly on a clear Wednesday morning.

​The coming days will be filled with tributes and reflections on his long career. For now, the people of Maharashtra stand together in silence, honoring a leader who, for better or worse, never stopped working for his state until the very end.