Amid growing political reactions to the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar has called for restraint, urging political parties not to politicise the tragic incident. His remarks came even as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged foul play and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
In what was seen as a subtle but pointed message to the Opposition, Sharad Pawar’s first public response since the death of his nephew focused on appealing for calm and responsibility. He emphasised that the incident should not be turned into a political controversy and said that, based on available information, the crash appeared to be a genuine accident. Pawar stressed that the state had suffered an irreparable loss and that political point-scoring at such a time was inappropriate.
Describing the tragedy as purely accidental, Sharad Pawar said there was no political angle to be drawn from it. He added that the loss was deeply painful for Maharashtra and that no amount of debate or speculation could compensate for the damage caused by the incident. His statement stood in contrast to growing demands from several opposition leaders for an expanded investigation.
Earlier, Mamata Banerjee had expressed shock and concern over Ajit Pawar’s death, raising questions about the safety and security of political leaders in the country. She alleged that there was a lack of adequate protection even for senior leaders and called for a probe monitored by the Supreme Court of India. She also referred to recent social media claims suggesting that Ajit Pawar had made statements about distancing himself from the BJP, implying that these developments warranted deeper scrutiny.
Banerjee questioned the credibility and independence of investigative agencies, stating that she had faith only in the Supreme Court to conduct a fair inquiry. According to her, the incident raised serious concerns that could not be ignored, especially given the broader political climate and the repeated controversies surrounding probes conducted by central agencies.
Meanwhile, preliminary findings from the investigation suggested that the aircraft involved—a Bombardier Learjet 45—was technically sound. Officials said the plane was airworthy, had no reported mechanical issues, and was being operated by pilots with a combined flying experience of nearly 15,000 hours, indicating that initial evidence did not point to technical failure.
Despite this, calls for a more exhaustive probe continued. Senior Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi demanded a proper and transparent investigation to establish all facts surrounding the crash. Echoing similar concerns, veteran Congress leader Digvijay Singh said several unanswered questions remained. He pointed out that a similar accident involving the same company had occurred in Mumbai three years earlier and noted that the current incident took place under low-visibility conditions, where standard aviation protocols usually discourage landing unless visibility is sufficiently high.
Ajit Pawar’s death occurred at a politically sensitive moment, as he had recently reunited with his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar to contest the Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune Municipal Corporation elections without the support of their Mahayuti allies. The development had sparked discussions about reconciliation within the NCP, which split in 2023, leading to competing factions.
Following the party split, the original NCP symbol was awarded to Ajit Pawar’s faction, even as the BJP-led alliance went on to secure victory in the Maharashtra elections that year. Against this backdrop of political realignment and internal party tensions, Sharad Pawar’s appeal for restraint underscored his attempt to keep the focus on mourning and institutional processes rather than political confrontation.
