In the wake of the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde rushed to Baramati to express their condolences to the Pawar family. The leaders arrived at Vidya Pratishthan, where they met with Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, and other family members to offer their support and pay their respects.

The chartered Learjet 45 carrying Ajit Pawar crashed on Wednesday morning while attempting to land at Baramati airport. The crash, which occurred around 8:48 am, claimed the lives of all five people on board, including Pawar, his personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, two pilots Captain Shambhavi Pathak and Sumit Kapoor, and a flight attendant Pinky Mali. Pawar was en route to Baramati from Mumbai to campaign for the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections.

News of the crash sent shockwaves across Maharashtra and the nation, with tributes pouring in from various political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. Fadnavis described the tragedy as an "unprecedented loss" for Maharashtra, while Shinde expressed his deep regret and confirmed that a thorough investigation into the crash would be conducted.

The Maharashtra government has declared a three-day state mourning period from January 28 to January 30, during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all government buildings, and all state government offices will remain closed on Wednesday. All official entertainment programs have also been cancelled during this period.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest that poor visibility may have been a contributing factor. AAIB officials were seen collecting documents from the office of VSR Ventures Private Limited, the operator of the aircraft.

Ajit Pawar, 66, served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a record six terms, under various governments. He was known for his hands-on approach to governance and his ability to make quick decisions. Pawar's last rites will be held with full state honors on Thursday at 11 am at Vidya Pratishthan grounds, where his mortal remains will be kept for public homage.