- Eknath Shinde called Ajit Pawar a straightforward leader with strong administrative skills
- Ajit Pawar and four others died when their small plane crashed near Baramati during landing
- Pawar led the NCP after splitting from Sharad Pawar and joined the Mahayuti alliance with BJP and Shiv Sena
Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described his cabinet colleague Ajit Pawar as a "straightforward leader" as he condoled the NCP chief's death in a small aircraft crash this morning. "He was a straightforward leader with a strong commitment and hold on administration," the Shiv Sena chief told reporters.
Ajit Pawar and four others died earlier this morning as the small plane flying them from Mumbai crashed during a landing attempt in Baramati. The victims included the plane's pilots and the NCP chief's security personnel.
Praising Pawar's persona, Shinde recalled the time he spent with him as a cabinet colleague.
Baramati Plane Crash: Updates
"He was fond of studying every aspect of decision-making. He was a straightforward and fearless leader. I have seen this myself. I worked with him in the Cabinet as a chief minister and now as a deputy chief minister," said the Sena leader.
Pawar's aircraft took off from Mumbai around 8 am and crashed near Baramati while trying to land. Fire, smoke, and mangled remains were seen at the spot. All five passengers died in the crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has confirmed.
Ajit Pawar had wrested control of the NCP from veteran politician and party founder Sharad Pawar after a power tussle in 2023. Since then, NCP has been a constituent in the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP and the Shinde-led Sena, which is currently in power in Maharashtra.
On working together in the government, Shinde recalled that despite financial difficulties, Pawar oversaw that the Ladki Bahin scheme continued. Comparing the politician fondly known as 'Dada' to his elder brother, he said, "Ajit Dada worked as a team for Maharashtra."
"He was like a bigger brother to me, and I am very pained. It is unbelievable for me to accept the fact that he is no more. I extend my condolences to his family and family members," said the deputy chief minister while speaking to reporters.
Later, speaking to NDTV, he said that he has lost a friend in Pawar's death, whereas Maharashtra lost a "lok neta (leader of the people)."
"We have lost a true friend. He was very knowledgeable about every department. We lost a leader who knew the economy very well. This is a huge loss for Maharashtra. He was very clear and spoke very clearly. He was punctual and very honest. We worked as a team to develop this state. Ajit Pawar played a huge role in this," he added.
Pawar started his day early in the morning, while he (Shinde) worked till late at night, he further recalled.
Pawar's passing marks a vacuum in Maharashtra's recent history of coalition politics, where the NCP leader's manoeuvres often turned out critical.
Shinde and Pawar engaged in an apparent 'cold war' that kept the air tense within Mumbai's power corridors for a brief period last May. The rift followed a remark by Pawar in a lighter vein that he deserved to be the chief minister. Upset over this, Shinde reportedly complained to Union Minister Amit Shah about Pawar not clearing the funds of his MLAs.
Pawar, however, had downplayed this.
