Ajit Pawar carved out a significant political space for himself in Maharashtra after stepping out of the towering shadow of his uncle, Sharad Pawar, and causing a split down the middle of NCP. Within just a year, Ajit Pawar successfully retained the NCP name and clock symbol, dealing a body blow to his uncle.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane crash on Wednesday,8.

Who will take the reins of the NCP after Ajit Pawar, and could the succession battle redraw Maharashtra’s political map?

Reports of Ajit Pawar’s sudden death in a Learjet crash on January 28, 2026 shocked Maharashtra, with officials saying all five aboard died as the aircraft neared Baramati from Mumbai.

A special team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been constituted to probe the aircraft crash in Baramati. As part of the investigation, the team will recover and analyse key flight data systems,

Ajit Pawar death: Along with the Deputy CM of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, a young pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak also lost her life in the tragic mishap. Shambhavi Pathak completed her schooling at Air Force Bal Bharati School and later enrolled herself at New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy.

Ajit Pawar, 66, and four others were killed on Wednesday morning when the aircraft they were travelling in crashed in Maharashtra’s Pune district, officials said. He is survived by his wife Sunetra and two sons Parth and Jay.

Ajit Pawar had just hoisted the tricolour on Republic Day, a moment that fans reflected on hours after his death. They wrote about how uncertain life can be.