Pune: Sharad Pawar Says ‘No Politics Involved’ in Ajit Pawar Plane Crash Tragedy

Baramati, 28th January 2026: Senior NCP leader Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said there was “no politics involved” in the tragic plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others near Baramati airport.

Speaking to the media at the Vidya Pratishthan campus in Baramati, a visibly emotional Sharad Pawar said Ajit Pawar’s death was purely accidental and urged people not to politicise the tragedy.

“This is a huge shock for Maharashtra. The state has lost a capable and decisive leader. The loss is irreparable,” Sharad Pawar said. “Some people are suggesting there is politics behind this incident. I want to clearly state that there is no politics involved. This is purely an accident.”

He added, “The pain of this tragedy is being felt across Maharashtra. I humbly request everyone not to bring politics into this.”

Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning when the aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport. He was on his way from Mumbai to Baramati to campaign for the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, where four public meetings had been scheduled.

A large number of people gathered in Baramati to pay their last respects, as a pall of grief descended over the region and the Pawar family.

Those who died in the incident include Captain Sumit Kapoor, Captain Shambhavi Pathak, Ajit Pawar’s security officer Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the Vidya Pratishthan campus to meet Sharad Pawar, MP Sunetra Pawar (Ajit Pawar’s wife) and MP Supriya Sule, and to express their condolences.

Several ministers, public representatives, and senior officials also paid their respects. Among them were Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Environment Minister Pankaja Munde, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, Public Works Minister Chhatrapati Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale, Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore, and Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat.