Maharashtra will bid its final farewell to Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Thursday, with his last rites scheduled to be held at 11 am in Baramati. The state government has announced full state honours for the senior leader, who died in a plane crash on Wednesday morning.

Ajit Pawar, widely known as ‘Dada’, was travelling to Baramati when the aircraft crashed during a landing attempt. The incident took place in poor visibility conditions, according to preliminary information shared by authorities.

The aircraft was carrying five people, including Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, flight attendant Pinky Mali, Pilot-in-Command Sumit Kapur and Second-in-Command Shambhavi Pathak. All five lost their lives in the crash.

Senior political leaders have begun arriving in Baramati to attend the funeral. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar reached the Vidya Pratishthan grounds ahead of the last rites, while Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray also arrived in the town to pay his respects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the funeral.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said a transparent investigation would be conducted into the crash. He stated that preliminary inputs suggest visibility was poor at the time of landing, which took place around 8:48 am.

The tragedy has left a deep void in Maharashtra’s political landscape. Ajit Pawar, 66, was among the state’s most experienced leaders and had served multiple terms as Finance Minister, known for his fast-paced administrative style and firm grip over state finances.

An emotional Sharad Pawar on Wednesday ruled out any conspiracy in the plane crash that killed his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying the incident was a tragic accident with no political angle.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the crash, Sharad Pawar said the loss was irreparable for the state and urged people not to attach politics to the tragedy. He described Ajit Pawar as a capable leader whose absence would be deeply felt across Maharashtra.

“Everything is not in our hands. Some incidents have no politics behind them. This was purely an accident,” Sharad Pawar said, adding that the pain of the loss would remain forever.

Aircraft crash details

Ajit Pawar was travelling in a Bombardier Learjet 45 operated by private aviation firm VSR Aviation. The aircraft was flying from Mumbai to Baramati in Pune district when it crash-landed near the runway and caught fire.

Television visuals from the site showed thick smoke rising from the wreckage shortly after the incident.

According to aviation authorities, Ajit Pawar was accompanied by his personal security officer, an assistant, and two crew members at the time of the crash. All were on board when the aircraft went down.

Poor visibility during landing attempt

The government, in a statement, said the aircraft had attempted a landing after being cleared by air traffic control following a go-around due to poor visibility. However, after receiving final clearance, the aircraft reportedly did not provide a mandatory read-back to the ATC.

Moments later, it burst into flames near the edge of the runway.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said preliminary information indicated that visibility was poor during the landing attempt. He confirmed that investigation teams from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau had reached the site to examine the cause of the accident.

In aviation procedures, a go-around is considered a standard safety step when conditions are not suitable for landing, while a read-back ensures clear communication between pilots and air traffic controllers.

Operator rules out technical failure

VSR Aviation owner VK Singh said the aircraft was well maintained and there was no known technical issue with the jet.

“As far as we know, there was absolutely no technical failure,” he told reporters, adding that the plane had undergone regular maintenance checks.

Investigators are expected to analyse flight data, communication records, and weather conditions to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the crash.

Supporting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s demand for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said the circumstances surrounding the incident must be made clear.

Referring to past incidents involving prominent figures, Yadav said similar deaths of VIPs had raised serious concerns earlier as well. “He was a senior leader and very popular. If such an incident can happen to a VIP, then it should be clear how it took place,” he said, backing Banerjee’s call for an independent probe.

Earlier, Yadav expressed grief over Pawar’s death, calling the incident extremely tragic and extending condolences to the bereaved family. He said he prayed for peace to the departed soul.

Ajit Pawar died after a private aircraft carrying him and four others crashed near Baramati in Maharashtra on Wednesday morning. All five people on board were killed in the crash.

Leaders across party lines expressed condolences following the incident. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said he prayed for strength for the grieving families, while BSP chief Mayawati described Pawar’s death as deeply heartbreaking and extended sympathies to his family and party colleagues.

Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee questioned the circumstances of the crash while speaking to the media during her journey to Singur for a public rally. She said the incident raised serious questions and asserted that only the Supreme Court could be trusted to oversee a fair investigation, alleging that investigative agencies had lost their independence.

Calling Pawar’s death a major loss for the country, Banerjee also noted that he was an influential political figure at the national level.

According to flight tracking data, the aircraft — a Learjet 45 operated by a private charter service — took off from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at around 8.10 am. The jet disappeared from radar shortly before landing while approaching Baramati airport after circling to align with the runway.