In a solemn atmosphere filled with sorrow and chants of “Ekach Wada, Ajit Dada,” Maharashtra bid a final farewell to its Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister, Ajit Pawar. The senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was cremated with full state honors at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati. The funeral followed a tragic aviation accident that claimed the lives of Ajit Pawar and four others.
Ajit Pawar’s eldest son, Parth Pawar, performed the last rites and lit the funeral pyre around 12:00 PM. Thousands of supporters, party workers, and citizens gathered at the venue, expressing their grief with cries of “Ajit Dada Amar Rahe (Long live Ajit Dada).” Earlier in the day, a large number of people paid their respects as his mortal remains were kept at his residence in Katewadi.
Prominent leaders, including former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, visited the family to offer condolences. The funeral witnessed a rare gathering of political figures, reflecting Ajit Pawar’s significant influence in state and national politics. Leaders remembered him as a man of his word, a “straight-talking” administrator with a strong grip on governance.
The accident, as reported by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), occurred during a series of campaign rallies in Baramati taluka. The aircraft crashed instead of landing on the designated runway, resulting in no survivors. The deceased have been identified as Ajit Pawar, Captain Sumit Kapoor, Pilot, Captain Shambhavi Pathak, Co-pilot, Vidip Jadhav, Personal Security Guard, and Pinky Mali, Flight Attendant.
The news of Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise has deeply saddened the nation, with leaders expressing sorrow over the loss of a dedicated leader who championed the causes of farmers and the underprivileged. As the flames rose at Vidya Pratishthan, attention now turns to the future of the NCP, leaving a significant void in Maharashtra’s political arena.
