Who Was Ajit Pawar? Maharashtra Deputy CM Whose Plane Reportedly Crashed in Baramati?

A Learjet 45XR aircraft (registration VT-SSK), operated by VSR Ventures Private Limited, crash-landed at Baramati Airport on Tuesday morning, killing all five onboard, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The charter flight, which departed from Mumbai, carried Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer, an attendant, and the two pilots. The Deputy CM was scheduled to attend multiple public meetings in Baramati.

According to initial reports, the crash occurred around 9 am, nearly an hour after the aircraft took off from Mumbai. Ajit Pawar was scheduled to fly to Baramati later in the day to attend four public meetings and political rallies ahead of the upcoming local body elections.

Fire, Smoke Seen at Crash Site

Visuals from the crash site showed thick smoke, fire, and the mangled remains of the aircraft, with emergency responders rushing to the scene. Ambulances were seen transporting the injured to nearby hospitals. Local sources said that several of the injured sustained serious injuries, though the exact number of passengers on board has not yet been officially confirmed.

Authorities are yet to disclose what prompted the emergency landing attempt. Aviation officials are expected to conduct a detailed inquiry once preliminary rescue operations are completed.

Following reports of the crash, Ajit Pawar's political status quickly became a focal point of public attention, given his central role in Maharashtra politics.

Ajit Pawar: Political Career and Influence

Ajit Pawar was born on July 22, 1959, in a farmer family in Ahmednagar district. Ajit Pawar was married to Sunetra, sister of former Maharashtra minister Padmasinh Patil, and the couple has two sons, Parth and Jay. Parth contested the Lok Sabha election from Maval in Pune district earlier this year but did not win.

Ajit Pawar's father once worked with filmmaker V Shantaram, and the sudden swearing-in with Devendra Fadnavis was compared by many to a Bollywood plot twist.

The Pawar family has a wide presence in Maharashtra politics beyond Ajit Pawar. Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar's cousin, is Lok Sabha MP from Baramati, while nephew Rohit serves as MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed in Ahmednagar. These positions underline how the extended family continues to hold key elected posts across the state.

Ajit Anantrao Pawar, popularly known as "Dada" among supporters, is one of Maharashtra's most influential political figures. He holds the record for being the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of the state, having served six non-consecutive terms under different chief ministers, including Prithviraj Chavan, Uddhav Thackeray, and Eknath Shinde.

He entered politics in 1982 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati in 1991, a seat later vacated for his uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar.

A major turning point came on July 2, 2023, when Ajit Pawar split from Sharad Pawar-led NCP and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) alliance. In February 2024, the Election Commission of India recognised his faction as the "real" NCP and allotted it the party name and the Clock symbol.

Controversies That Marked His Career

Ajit Pawar's political journey has also been marked by controversy. He was accused in the alleged ₹70,000-crore irrigation scam related to his tenure as Water Resources Minister, though he has maintained that the allegations were politically motivated. He was also named in the MSCB loan case, which the Economic Offences Wing closed in early 2024, citing lack of evidence.

He has faced criticism for controversial remarks, including comments made during the 2013 drought and more recent statements during election campaigns.

One of the most dramatic episodes of his career remains the 80-hour government in November 2019, when he briefly served as Deputy Chief Minister alongside Devendra Fadnavis before the alliance collapsed.

As investigations continue into the Baramati plane crash, authorities are expected to release further details on the cause of the incident, the condition of those injured, and Ajit Pawar's travel status.

Officials said updates would be shared once technical assessments and passenger verification are completed.