NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Wednesday expressed shock and grief over the death of Maharashtra deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, describing herself as “devastated” in her first public reaction.
Sule posted the single-word message on her WhatsApp status shortly after news of the fatal plane crash near Baramati emerged. Follow Ajit Pawar death news updates
Maharashtra deputy chief minister's wife Sunetra Pawar, sister Supriya Sule have arrive in Baramati, where the crash involving the NCP leader took place.
Leaders across the political spectrum, including those from the ruling alliance and the Opposition, expressed deep grief over the tragic accident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Ajit Pawar as a “leader of the people,” while Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and several other Union ministers also issued condolence messages.
Maharashtra CM remembers ‘generous friend’
Remembering the late deputy chief minister, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Dada has left us! The news of the death of Ajitdada Pawar, the people's leader with a deep connection to the land, my friend and colleague, the deputy chief minister, in a plane crash is extremely heartbreaking. It is a shock to the soul. The mind is numb. I have no words to express my emotions.”
{{/usCountry}}Remembering the late deputy chief minister, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Dada has left us! The news of the death of Ajitdada Pawar, the people's leader with a deep connection to the land, my friend and colleague, the deputy chief minister, in a plane crash is extremely heartbreaking. It is a shock to the soul. The mind is numb. I have no words to express my emotions.”
{{/usCountry}}He further said, “I have lost my strong and generous friend. This is a personal loss for me. This is a loss that can never be compensated. Today is an extremely difficult day for Maharashtra.”
Fadnavis added, “We share the grief of his entire family and the NCP family. Four other people also died in this accident. We share the grief of their families as well.”
The NCP chief was killed in a chartered aircraft crash on Wednesday morning while travelling from Mumbai to Baramati. He had been in Mumbai a day earlier, on January 27, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure chaired by Devendra Fadnavis.
Meanwhile, a special team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been tasked with probing the Baramati aircraft crash that claimed five lives, including Maharashtra Pawar and members of the flight crew.