As the news of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash spread, thousands of party workers and supporters gathered outside the Baramati Medical College, turning the hospital surroundings into a scene of intense grief and mourning. The supporters from Baramati and nearby areas raised cries of sorrow, expressing disbelief over the sudden loss of their leader.

Many said they felt orphaned by Pawar’s untimely demise. The roads leading to Baramati witnessed heavy traffic as supporters headed there from Pune and Ahilya Nagar. A 70-year-old supporter from Katewadi village said, “My farm is beside Pawar’s residence. I can’t believe how god took away my dada. We are orphans now. Dada was the future of Maharashtra.”