Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party expressed profound sorrow over the reported death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The party described the development as deeply shocking and said clarity was needed on how such a tragedy occurred.
AAP national convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal conveyed his condolences, calling the news extremely tragic. In a message shared on social media platform X, he said he was pained by the loss and offered prayers for peace for those who lost their lives. He also expressed solidarity with the families and well-wishers of the deceased, wishing them strength to endure the moment of grief.
AAP Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh described the crash as a heartbreaking incident and emphasised the need for a detailed inquiry. He said it was important to determine what went wrong with the aircraft and how the accident took place. Singh added that his thoughts and prayers were with Ajit Pawar’s family, urging divine strength for them to cope with the loss.
According to officials, Ajit Pawar, aged 66, and four others were killed when the aircraft carrying them crashed near his hometown of Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning. Pawar, a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati, where he was scheduled to address rallies ahead of the February 5 zilla parishad elections.
Authorities said the incident occurred when the aircraft was attempting to land near Baramati in Pune district. Details regarding the exact cause of the crash were not immediately available, prompting demands from political leaders for an independent and transparent probe.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Aam Aadmi Party said that Bhagwant Mann cancelled his scheduled visit to Goa on Wednesday as a mark of respect. The announcement was made by AAP’s Goa president Valmiki Naik through a post on X.
Naik described the reported demise of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister as sad and shocking, extending heartfelt condolences to Ajit Pawar’s family as well as to the families of the other victims. He added that Mann’s visit, planned for January 28, had been called off to honour the memory of those who lost their lives in the crash.
