"Grassroots leader dedicated to Maharashtra people": PM Modi mourns Ajit Pawar's death

New Delhi [India], January 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday mourned the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, remembering him as a mass leader with deep grassroots.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said Pawar was widely respected for his hard work and dedication to public service in Maharashtra. He highlighted Pawar's strong grasp of administrative affairs and his commitment to empowering the poor and underprivileged.
"Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti," the 'X' post from PM Modi said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday condoled the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying he was deeply distressed by the tragic news and hailed Pawar's decades-long dedication to public service.
In a post on X, Shah said Pawar's contribution to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra over the past three and a half decades was beyond words. He recalled their interactions, noting that Pawar always held detailed discussions on issues affecting the state's people.
"Today, the news of the loss of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague Ajit Pawar ji in a tragic accident has left my heart deeply distressed. The way Ajit Pawar ji dedicated himself to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra over the past three and a half decades cannot be expressed in words. Whenever we met, he would engage in long discussions on numerous issues related to the welfare of the people of Maharashtra. His passing is a personal loss not only for the NDA family but also for me," Amit Shah wrote on 'X'.
"I express my deepest condolences to the Pawar family. In this hour of grief, the entire NDA stands firmly with the bereaved Pawar family. May God grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," he added.
Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on Wednesday expressed grief at the news of the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a charter plane crash in Bramanti early today.
"It is very sad news," Sawant said, adding that the entire Pawar family is shattered by the news.
"I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said
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 Zilla 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. (ANI)