'Deeply pained by Ajit Pawar's death': Assam CM mourns Maharashtra deputy CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, calling him a seasoned leader whose contributions to the state’s development “have left a lasting imprint.”

“Deeply pained by the passing away of Ajit Pawar ji, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in an unfortunate plane crash this morning,” Sarma said in a post on X.

He added, “A seasoned leader who devoted his life to public service and towards the welfare of people, his contributions to state's development and governance have left a lasting imprint.” He concluded: “May he attain sadgati. Om Shanti.”

Pawar (66) and four others were killed when the aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district on Wednesday morning. Officials said the chartered flight went down while attempting to land near Baramati, leaving no survivors. Pawar was traveling from Mumbai for election-related engagements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences, calling the incident a “tragic air crash” and offering sympathies to the families of all victims.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash, examining technical and operational factors. Political leaders across parties described Pawar’s death as a “shocking loss,” mourning his decades-long public service.