Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
It had been only 2.5 years since Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Anantrao Pawar stepped out of the long shadow of his uncle and undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar. However, his three-decade long political career abruptly ended on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) after he died in a plane crash, in Baramati, in Pune district.Ajit Pawar plane crash LIVE | Maharashtra Deputy CM, four others killed in Baramati, PM mournsAjit Pawar (66), born on July 22, 1959, is recognised as one of Maharashtra’s most powerful and experienced politicians. He entered the State Assembly in 1991 as Baramati MLA. He steadily rose through the ranks, becoming State Deputy Chief Minister multiple times. He is known to be the most efficient administrator.Born in Deolali Pravara in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar spent his initial years in a co-operative institution which played a significant role in the development and politics of Western Maharashtra comprising Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli, Baramati, and others. This is where he created a network, built his reputation, and entered the political sphere.Ajit Pawar held several key ministerial portfolios in Maharashtra from 1999 onwards, including Irrigation, Water Conservation, Energy & Planning, and Finance. He served as Minister of Irrigation from 1999 to 2003 and headed the Water Resources Ministry between 2004 and 2010. He was Deputy Chief Minister on multiple occasions, with charge of Finance and Planning from 2010 to 2012 and again from 2019 to 2022, and returned as Deputy Chief Minister in July 2023 following the split in the NCP.No rift in NCP, Sachchidanand Singh's letter carries no weight: Praful Patel
