'Untimely and shocking': PM Modi on Ajit Pawar's death in Baramati plane crash

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed deep grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash describing the loss as untimely and extremely shockingPM recalls Pawarrsquos grassroots connect and public serviceIn a post on X the Prime Minister said Ajit Pawar was a mass leader with a strong connection at the grassroots level and was widely respected for his tireless work in public lifeShri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people having a strong grassroots level connect He 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 andhellip pictwittercommdgwwGzw4Rmdash Narendra Modi narendramodi January 28 2026Ajit Pawar 66 and four others were killed when the aircraft they were travelling in crashed near his hometown Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning officials saidShri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people having a strong grassrootslevel connect He 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 PM Modi saidPM expresses condolences for all lives lost in crashIn a separate message the Prime Minister also condoled the loss of lives in the accident Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati Maharashtra My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief he saidShri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people having a strong grassroots level connect He 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 andhellip pictwittercommdgwwGzw4Rmdash Narendra Modi narendramodi January 28 2026Union ministers pay tribute to Pawarrsquos legacyDefence Minister Rajnath Singh said Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtrarsquos Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Throughout his long public life he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family wellwishers and admirersWhile expressing his grief Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said ldquoThe news of the sudden demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar ji is extremely shocking unfortunate and heartbreaking My heartfelt tribute to him Over the past many years while working together in the state legislature I shared an extremely close bond with Ajit dada His administrative acumen developmental vision and innate ability to connect with people have ensured that Ajit dada always holds an unassailable position in Maharashtras politics The untimely passing of this peoples leader who harbored aspirations for Maharashtras development is not just a loss for Maharashtra but an irreplaceable one for the entire nation On this sorrowful occasion my condolences are with the entire Pawar family May God grant peace to the departed soul Om Shantirdquo