File photo of Ajit Pawar with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Crash That Killed Ajit Pawar Shakes Maharashtra Politics
Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, including two crew members, were killed when a Learjet-45 aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district today, according to official statements issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the aircraft, operated by M/s VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. and registered as VT-SSK, was operating the sector from Mumbai to Baramati on January 28, 2026, when it met with an air accident during landing. There were a total of five persons on board, including two crew members. The passengers included Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. All occupants of the aircraft sustained fatal injuries.
Operator and Fleet Profile
The aircraft belonged to M/s VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd., a Non-Scheduled Operator holding Permit No. 07/2014. The company’s initial Air Operator Permit was issued on April 21, 2014, and last renewed on April 3, 2023, with validity until April 20, 2028.
Its fleet consists of 17 aircraft, including seven Learjet 45 aircraft, five Embraer 135BJ aircraft, four King Air B200 aircraft and one Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. The aircraft involved in Wednesday’s crash was one of its Learjet 45 fleet.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted its last regulatory audit of the operator in February 2025, during which no Level-I findings were recorded.
The ministry also noted that another Learjet 45 aircraft of the same operator, registered as VT-DBL, had been involved in an accident during landing at Mumbai airport on September 14, 2023. That earlier accident remains under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
Aircraft Technical History
Official technical records of the accident aircraft, as of January 26, 2026, show that the Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) was manufactured in 2010. Its Certificate of Registration was issued on December 27, 2022, and its Certificate of Airworthiness on December 16, 2021. The Aircraft Review Certificate was issued on September 10, 2025, and was valid until September 14, 2026.
The aircraft had accumulated 4,915 hours and 48 minutes of flying time since new, with 5,867 cycles, and had flown 85 hours and 49 minutes since its last airworthiness review.
It was powered by TFE731-20BR engines. The left-hand engine had logged 4,915 hours and 48 minutes with 5,965 cycles, while the right-hand engine had logged 4,526 hours and 44 minutes with 5,426 cycles.
Crew Credentials
Crew details provided by the ministry indicated that the pilot-in-command held an Airline Transport Pilot Licence and had more than 15,000 hours of flying experience. His last medical examination was conducted on November 19, 2025 and was valid until May 19, 2026. His last Instrument Rating and Proficiency Check was completed on August 18, 2025.
The co-pilot held a Commercial Pilot Licence with approximately 1,500 hours of flying experience. His last medical examination was conducted on July 12, 2025 and was valid until July 24, 2026. His last Instrument Rating and Proficiency Check was completed on July 22, 2025.
Sequence of Events
The Ministry of Civil Aviation released a preliminary sequence of events based on statements from personnel providing traffic information at Baramati, which is classified as an uncontrolled airfield where such services are managed by instructors and pilots from local flying training organisations.
- The aircraft first made contact with Baramati at 8:18 a.m. IST.
- The next call was received when the aircraft was 30 nautical miles inbound after being released by Pune approach control. The crew was advised to descend in Visual Meteorological Conditions at the pilot’s discretion.
- When the crew enquired about wind and visibility, they were informed that winds were calm and visibility was around 3,000 metres.
- The aircraft then reported on final approach to Runway 11 but stated that the runway was not in sight, prompting the crew to initiate a go-around on the first attempt.
- After the go-around, the aircraft again reported being on final approach to Runway 11. When asked to confirm whether the runway was in sight, the crew initially replied that it was not and that they would report once visual contact was established. A few seconds later, they reported that the runway was in sight.
- The aircraft was cleared to land on Runway 11 at 8:43 a.m., though no readback of the landing clearance was received. At 8:44 a.m., personnel at the airfield observed flames near the threshold of Runway 11. Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the crash site.
- The wreckage was later located on the left side of the runway abeam the threshold of Runway 11.
Investigation
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has formally taken over the probe into the crash. The Director General of AAIB is on site, and further technical findings will be shared as they become available.
Authorities urged the public and media to rely only on verified updates issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, and AAIB and to avoid speculation about the cause of the accident until the investigation is completed.
Political Reactions and Impact
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Pawar’s death in a message described his passing as an “untimely demise” and praising his service to Maharashtra.
“Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, rival Shiv Sena leaders Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray, the Nationalist Congress Party, and NCP founder Sharad Pawar expressed shock and grief. Political analysts highlighted the profound loss to Maharashtra’s governance and political life.
Political Ramifications in Maharashtra
Political analysts emphasise that Ajit Pawar’s death leaves a significant leadership vacuum within Maharashtra’s NCP faction. His leadership had given the faction organisational influence and bargaining power within the Mahayuti alliance. Analysts suggest that the Sharad Pawar-led faction may gain renewed moral and political authority, as it is the original structure of the party with deep-rooted support in western Maharashtra. In the absence of Ajit Pawar’s personal influence, some legislators and grassroots workers may gravitate back toward Sharad Pawar’s camp, potentially reshaping party dynamics and alliances.
At the same time, the ruling coalition faces the urgent task of redistributing the political portfolios and influence previously held by Ajit Pawar. As Deputy Chief Minister, he acted as a bridge between diverse coalition partners, smoothing ideological differences and ensuring legislative coordination. His absence now raises concerns about potential friction within the alliance, as parties negotiate to fill the vacuum and maintain stability. Analysts note that succession decisions and control over key ministries will be closely watched in the coming weeks.
The sudden loss of such a senior administrator, who combined political acumen with deep grassroots connections, is expected to test the cohesion of the ruling alliance. Editorials in Marathi newspapers have described it as one of the most destabilising political shocks in recent decades, calling for restraint, unity, and institutional continuity.
Ajit Pawar’s Political Career
Ajit Pawar, the nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, had been a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics for over three decades. He began his political journey in the late 1980s and rapidly rose through the ranks of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), serving in multiple cabinet portfolios, including Finance, Water Resources, and Cooperation. Known for his administrative acumen and grassroots connections in western Maharashtra, he played a pivotal role in shaping state policies and coalition negotiations.
He served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and was recognised for his efforts in irrigation projects, rural development, and farmer welfare. His political career was marked by strategic maneuvering, often balancing intra-party dynamics and coalition politics, earning him a reputation as a consensus builder and a key decision-maker within the NCP and the ruling alliance.
Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar: Fallout and Rivalry
Ajit Pawar’s political trajectory was marked by two major ruptures with his uncle, Sharad Pawar. The first came in November 2019, when he briefly defected from the NCP to join the BJP-led government alongside then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, taking oath as deputy chief minister. The move was reversed within days after negotiations, and he returned to the NCP fold.
The second and more consequential split occurred on July 2, 2023, when Ajit, along with several legislators, broke away from Sharad Pawar’s NCP and aligned with the Eknath Shinde–BJP alliance in Maharashtra. The split arose from differences over leadership succession, party strategy, and coalition politics — meaning that Ajit Pawar sought a clearer path to leadership succession within the party, advocated a strategic realignment with the ruling coalition to expand governance influence, and wanted to assert his own authority in coalition negotiations, reflecting both ideological and tactical disagreements with Sharad Pawar. This led to prolonged rivalry, legal disputes over the party name and symbol, and direct electoral competition, including the 2024 assembly elections, where Ajit Pawar’s faction secured notable legislative victories. By early 2026, there were public signals of rapprochement, though analysts report that underlying ideological and strategic differences persisted, keeping the reconciliation fragile and conditional.
Sharad Pawar stated his nephew’s death, emphasising the non-political nature of the tragedy: “Ajit Pawar’s untimely death is a massive shock to Maharashtra. The state has today lost a capable and decisive leader. The loss that has occurred cannot be compensated for, but not everything is in our hands. I wasn’t planning to come before the media today, but I learned that some media outlets have taken a stance from Kolkata suggesting that there is some politics behind this accident. But there is no politics in this; it is purely an accident. The agony of this death is felt by Maharashtra, by all of us. Please do not bring politics into this. That’s all I have to say.” Analysts note that Sharad Pawar’s emphasis on restraint underscores the sensitivity of intra-party dynamics and the delicate balance of public perception in the aftermath of such a high-profile loss.
Further announcements are expected as the aviation inquiry progresses and as the Maharashtra government finalises arrangements to honour the late leader and the other occupants who lost their lives in the crash.
– global bihari bureau
