Ajit Pawar dies at 66: 'He was like an elder brother to me', Eknath Shinde remembers co-deputy CM
Pawar passed away on Wednesday after the private plane he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land in Baramati.
- Jan 28, 2026,
- Updated Jan 28, 2026 11:31 AM IST
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday expressed his shock at the passing away of his co-deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Pawar passed away on Wednesday after the private plane he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land in Baramati.
Shinde told reporters that Pawar was "like an elder brother to me".
The Shiv Sena supremo said that Ajit Pawar never hesitated to refuse schemes and projects that would unnecessarily burden the exchequer.
“Ajit Pawar’s demise is a great loss to the state. He was a studious, courageous and disciplined leader with a strong command over the administration. He never hesitated to say no to schemes and projects that would have put an unnecessary burden on the state exchequer. He was like an elder brother to me," Shinde told reporters.
He also reminisced about the role Pawar played in starting the Ladli Bahin Yojana when Shinde was the Chief Minister.
"It is an unfortunate day for Maharashtra. This is a painful incident for su and whole of Maharashtra. Ajit Dada was a man of his word. We worked as a team when I was the CM, and he was Dy CM. As a team, we had started the Ladli Behen Yojana, and Ajit dada played an important role in it."
Previously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah dialled Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to get details and updates on the plane crash in Baramati.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also mourned Ajit Pawar's untimely demise.
In a post on X, the Gandhi scion said, “The news of the demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji and his fellow travellers in an airplane accident today is extremely heartbreaking. In this moment of grief, I stand with the people of Maharashtra. I extend my condolences to the entire Pawar family and their loved ones during this hour of sorrow."
Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told PTI that she has spoken to Sunetra Pawar and Supriya Sule.
"This is very sad news. From our side, we extend our condolences and sympathies to the entire Pawar family and all their supporters. I have also spoken to Supriya ji and his wife."
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday expressed his shock at the passing away of his co-deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Pawar passed away on Wednesday after the private plane he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land in Baramati.
Shinde told reporters that Pawar was "like an elder brother to me".
The Shiv Sena supremo said that Ajit Pawar never hesitated to refuse schemes and projects that would unnecessarily burden the exchequer.
“Ajit Pawar’s demise is a great loss to the state. He was a studious, courageous and disciplined leader with a strong command over the administration. He never hesitated to say no to schemes and projects that would have put an unnecessary burden on the state exchequer. He was like an elder brother to me," Shinde told reporters.
He also reminisced about the role Pawar played in starting the Ladli Bahin Yojana when Shinde was the Chief Minister.
"It is an unfortunate day for Maharashtra. This is a painful incident for su and whole of Maharashtra. Ajit Dada was a man of his word. We worked as a team when I was the CM, and he was Dy CM. As a team, we had started the Ladli Behen Yojana, and Ajit dada played an important role in it."
Previously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah dialled Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to get details and updates on the plane crash in Baramati.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also mourned Ajit Pawar's untimely demise.
In a post on X, the Gandhi scion said, “The news of the demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji and his fellow travellers in an airplane accident today is extremely heartbreaking. In this moment of grief, I stand with the people of Maharashtra. I extend my condolences to the entire Pawar family and their loved ones during this hour of sorrow."
Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told PTI that she has spoken to Sunetra Pawar and Supriya Sule.
"This is very sad news. From our side, we extend our condolences and sympathies to the entire Pawar family and all their supporters. I have also spoken to Supriya ji and his wife."