Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash, in his hometown Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning, brought back to memory one the most prominent of such tragedies — the 1980 death of Sanjay Gandhi.
Ajit's death gravely impacts Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Shard Pawar, who faction and the original NCP currently with Ajit were planning a reunion. While Ajit Pawar was with BJP-led Mahayuti ever since he split the NCP in 2023, there were plans in the works for a patch-up, evident in their alliance for the recent civic polls in Maharashtra.
Parallels with Sanjay Gandhi's fatal plane crash
TL;DR: Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi, who was the son of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, too died in a plane crash in June 1980 at a time of significant political churn for her and the party.
Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi, who was the son of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, too died in a plane crash in June 1980 at a time of significant political churn for her and the party.
Sanjay, an aviation geek, took off in the single-engine, two-seater plane from the Safdarjung airport on that day. Shortly after, the plane crashed into a storm culvert while attempting loop maneuvers. The crash, on June 23, 1980, came just five months after Congress was voted back to power after the Janata Party government, led by Morarji Desai and Charan Singh, failed at holding power.
Sanjay's death proved to be a major setback for Indira on several counts: he had significant influence at the national-level politics, and was considered her chosen heir despite a sea of controversies.
His death resulted in detrimental blow not only to Indira and her Congress.
He was not only at the helm of control in Indira's political roadmap, but was also the key against challenges by former party leaders, who had switched sides to join the Janata Party.
After Indira visited the site of Sanjay Gandhi's plane crash, she is known to have remarked to her personal physician: "Doctor, hamara dahina haath kat gaya (My right hand has been cut off)."
Ajit Pawar and Sanjay Gandhi: Political heirs, gone suddenly
TL;DR: With Ajit Pawar's death, questions have started looming over NCP's future, especially its political leanings in view of Ajit's refreshed proximity to the Sharad Pawar camp.
With Ajit Pawar's death, questions have started looming over NCP's future, especially its political leanings in view of Ajit's refreshed proximity to the Sharad Pawar camp. The NCP currently has 41 MLAs in Maharashtra assembly, one Lok Sabha MP, and two Rajya Sabha MPs.
Ajit was widely seen as uncle Sharad Pawar's heir until the latter's daughter Supriya Sule became politically active. In the reunion plans, she was speculated to become a national face — some reports said, even a minister in PM Narendra Modi's cabinet — while Ajit would be the NCP boss and lead its state politics.
Indira had plans for Sanjay to take forward her legacy and power, which he bore without electoral authority even during the Emergency period (1975–77).
After Sanjay's death, Indira's elder son, Rajiv, who despite lacking political interest, was forced to enter the arena and went on to become PM after Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984.
Stakes remain high for the NCP now, with Sharad Pawar originally reported to be planning retirement by the end of 2026.
Unlike Rajiv Gamdhi, Supriya Sule is already politically active, though there are other contenders for the heirship within the Pawar clan.
Curated by James Chen
