Fadnavis said that “today” (January 28) will be a public holiday and there will be a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to Pawar.
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Ajit Pawar’s death has left a void that will never be filled, he said. “After working closely together, it’s unbelievable that he’s gone,” Fadnavis said.
Talking to reporters, Fadnavis described Pawar as a people’s leader who knows the state well and has a deep understanding of the problems in Maharashtra. He said it takes several years to build and create such leadership.
Fadnavis said he had informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the tragedy. The CM said he also spoke to Ajit Pawar’s cousin Supriya Sule and his son Parth Pawar.
“Both (Deputy CM) Eknath Shinde and I are now leaving for Baramati. We will share more details once their entire family meets in Baramati,” he said. The entire state stands with Pawar’s family and his NCP party in this hour of grief, he added.
Ajit Pawar, 66, and four other people were killed after a plane carrying them crashed in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said. The accident occurred when the plane carrying Pawar and others landed near Baramati, they said.
Several state BJP leaders, including Ashish Shelar, Ravindra Chavan and Chandrashekhar Bawankule, expressed deep grief over Pawar’s death.
“This heart-wrenching incident has left the mind numb. Maharashtra has lost an experienced, obedient and decisive leader,” said state minister Shelar.
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Pawar left a distinct mark in state politics due to his strong grip on administration, decisiveness and relentless pursuit of the all-round progress of Maharashtra. “Fortitude, discipline, punctuality and tireless dedication were defining aspects of his personality,” he said.
BJP state president Ravindra Chavan said Maharashtra politics is unimaginable without Pawar. He said Pawar is known as a dynamic leader with a strong command over the administration and an unwavering focus on comprehensive development of the state.
He said Pawar held the record for the longest tenure as Deputy CM in the state’s history and left an indelible mark in handling key portfolios like irrigation, power and finance. “With his departure, Maharashtra has lost a firm, disciplined, punctual and tireless leader. This void can never be filled,” Chavan said.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule described Pawar as an elder friend and guide. “Even now it’s hard to accept that this tragedy really happened,” he said. Pawar would be remembered as a true leader of the people who gave a clear direction and an unstoppable impetus to the all-round development of Maharashtra, Bawankule said.
Recalling Pawar’s immense administrative experience, Bawankule said he had personally sought the NCP leader’s advice on several occasions.
“The loss of Ajitdada is not just the passing of one leader; it is a deep loss for Maharashtra itself. The nation has lost a visionary statesman and I have lost a dear elder friend and guide,” Bawankule said, adding that the fact that Pawar was no longer with them seemed impossible to accept.
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