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Sharad Pawar dismisses opposition claims of foul play in Ajit Pawar’s plane crash, calling it a ‘pure accident’. As political tempers rise and questions swirl, investigators race to uncover what really went wrong near Baramati.
Sharad Pawar said that this is a big loss for Maharashtra
Baramati: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP) veteran Sharad Pawar on Wednesday dismissed allegations of foul play in the plane crash that claimed the life of his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Calling the incident a “pure accident,” Pawar urged political leaders to refrain from politicising a personal and statewide tragedy.
In his first public reaction after the crash, Sharad Pawar expressed deep anguish and said attempts were being made to give the incident a political colour. “Some people are trying to politicise this incident, and I am very disappointed. There is no politics in this. This was purely an accident,” he said.
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He added that the pain of the loss was being felt across Maharashtra and appealed for restraint. “The pain is something all of us are experiencing. I request everyone not to drag politics into this matter,” Pawar said, describing the incident as a devastating blow to the state.
अजित पवार ह्यांचा अपघाती मृत्यू हा महाराष्ट्राला प्रचंड मोठा धक्का आहे. एक कर्तृत्ववान आणि निर्णय घेण्याची शक्ती ज्यांच्यात आहे अशा व्यक्तीला महाराष्ट्र आज मुकला. जे काही नुकसान झालंय ते भरून निघणारं नाही पण सगळ्याच गोष्टी काही आपल्या हातात नसतात.
मी आज मिडियासमोर येणार नव्हतो… pic.twitter.com/SI2qBqsnpH
— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) January 28, 2026
Condoling Ajit Pawar’s death, Sharad Pawar said Maharashtra had lost a capable and decisive leader. He described the tragedy as irreplaceable. “This is a massive loss for Maharashtra. Such a loss is very difficult to compensate for. Losing a person of such calibre is deeply painful,” he said.
Ajit Pawar, one of the most influential political figures in the state, died along with four others when the aircraft he was travelling in crashed near Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning.
Sharad Pawar’s statement came amid controversy sparked by remarks from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who alleged possible foul play in the crash. Banerjee claimed that Ajit Pawar was expected to leave the NDA and rejoin the INDIA bloc, raising questions over the timing of the accident. She demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the incident.
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Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti also echoed concerns, questioning whether the crash was an accident or an act of sabotage.
The private Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, took off from Mumbai at around 8:10 am and was heading to Baramati, where Ajit Pawar was scheduled to attend multiple public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections. The aircraft attempted to land after a go-around due to poor visibility but crashed near the runway moments later, bursting into flames.
Authorities have launched an investigation, with aviation officials examining air traffic control data, flight records, and weather conditions to determine the exact cause of the crash.
