New Delhi [India], January 28 : Union Minister CR Paatil on Wednesday expressed grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, stating that his passing would significantly change the political dynamics of the state.
Paatil also called Pawar's death a huge loss for his family and Maharashtra.
"Ajit Pawar ji had made a place for himself in Maharashtra politics. This is a huge loss for his family and the state. The dynamics of politics in Maharashtra will change with his passing away," he told ANI.
Congress MP Imran Masood also described Pawar's death as deeply saddening and extended his condolences to the bereaved family.
"The passing away of such an energetic leader suddenly is very saddening. Our sympathies lie with this family," Masood told ANI.
Meanwhile, former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh broke down while addressing a press conference after learning about Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash in Baramati, struggling to find words to express his grief.
According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.
Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zila Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.
Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.