Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar died after his aircraft crashed during an emergency landing attempt at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning. The two pilots and Ajit's two security personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) also died in the crash, which happened as the chartered aircraft was attempting an emergency landing at Baramati airport.
"Five people on board the Mumbai to Baramati charter plane, which crash-landed, have died," the DGCA said in a statement. Ajit Pawar was heading to Baramati to address four public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections when the aircraft, a Bombardier Learjet 45, which was chartered from Mumbai, crashed. The aircraft belongs to Delhi-based charter company VSR.
The entire aircraft was reduced to ashes, with visuals showing it completely shattered and debris scattered all around. Initial visuals showed a massive blaze and smoke billowing from the area in Baramati.
Eyewitnesses said the jet was attempting to land when it crashed at the threshold of runway 11 at Baramati airport around 8.40 am. The aircraft immediately burst into flames.
THE RISE OF AJIT 'DADA'
Ajit Pawar, the son of Sharad Pawar's elder brother, Anantrao, charted a career path similar to that of his uncle, rising through a firm grip on Maharashtra's cooperative sector. Popularly known as 'Dada', Ajit has carved out his own political identity through dramatic realignments, with the pivotal moment coming in 2023 when his rebellion split the NCP, and he subsequently joined the NDA.
Born on July 22, 1959, in Deolali Pravara, Ahmednagar district, Ajit belongs to one of Maharashtra's influential political families. The Pawars were closely associated with farming and the cooperative sector. This shaped Ajit's initial political views and laid the foundation of his political career.
Ajit Dada had an early entry into politics after the death of his father, Anantrao Pawar, who worked at the renowned Rajkamal Studios in Mumbai. That meant Ajit could complete education up to the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) level.
However, with his uncle, Sharad Pawar, already an established Congress figure in Maharashtra politics, Ajit did not face much of a challenge in starting his career. At a young age of 23, Ajit was elected to the board of a cooperative sugar factory in Baramati.
Ajit's first major electoral success came when he won the Lok Sabha polls from Baramati in 1991. That was his only Lok Sabha contest. He then moved decisively into Maharashtra politics, winning the Baramati Assembly seat -- a stronghold of the Pawars. He has been an eight-term MLA from Baramati.
In 1999, when Sharad Pawar broke away from the Congress and formed the NCP, Ajit followed him into the party. With his tactical nous, Ajit quickly emerged as one of NCP's most powerful leaders.
At just 40, Ajit became the youngest Cabinet minister in the Vilasrao Deshmukh-led Congress government, handling the irrigation portfolio. Over nearly a decade, under different governments, he held several ministries, including water supply, rural development, finance, and energy.
He also built an independent political base, particularly in western Maharashtra, through control over cooperatives and local institutions.
Curated by Dr. Elena Rodriguez
