The last rites of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar were held on Thursday at the Vidya Pratishthan grounds in Katewadi, Baramati. Family members, senior political leaders and thousands of people gathered to pay their final respects.
Ajit Pawar’s sons, Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar, performed the last rites and lit the funeral pyre. His wife Sunetra Pawar was present along with close family members. Veteran leader Sharad Pawar, who is Ajit Pawar’s uncle, and his daughter Supriya Sule also attended the funeral and paid tribute.
Many national and state-level leaders were present at the ceremony. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray were among those who attended. The funeral procession saw massive public participation, with thousands lining the roads of Baramati.
Baramati witnessed heavy crowds as people from different parts of Maharashtra came to say goodbye to the popular leader. Security arrangements were tightened as senior leaders and large numbers of supporters gathered at the venue.
Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane accident on Wednesday morning. At around 8:45 am, a chartered aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport. Pawar, aged 66, was on board the flight at the time of the accident.
In the crash, five people lost their lives, including Ajit Pawar, his security personnel, two pilots, and a woman staff member. The sudden incident shocked political circles and the general public across the state.
Ajit Pawar was scheduled to address four election rallies in connection with the district council elections to be held in Pune on February 5. His death came at a crucial time, just ahead of the local body polls, adding to the sense of loss felt by his supporters.
As a mark of respect and mourning, the Maharashtra government announced three days of state mourning following Ajit Pawar’s death. Government offices flew the national flag at half-mast, and several public events were cancelled.
