The sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati on January 28, 2026, has sparked political controversy and calls for a thorough investigation. Pawar, 66, died along with his bodyguard, two pilots, and a flight attendant when the Global Air LJ45 aircraft crashed while attempting to land. Initial reports suggested six people were on board, raising questions about the missing body.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut raised serious doubts about the crash, saying, “Questions should be raised about Ajit Pawar’s accident. These questions are being raised even within his own party. There is something fishy about this. Something must have happened behind the scenes.” Raut alleged that Pawar had planned to return home after raising concerns about the BJP allegedly threatening him over irrigation project files. “Ajit Dada had said he wanted to ‘return home,’ and then people from the BJP threatened him with the Sinchan Scam files. He responded over the same files and died mysteriously within ten days. What do we understand from this? This reminds us of Justice Loya. Did someone do something here?” he said.
Raut also questioned the timing of political developments within the NCP, suggesting that Pawar’s death had left room for a rapid reshuffling of power. He criticised the BJP for allegedly undermining the Maratha identity in Maharashtra politics, saying, “NCP has been a party of true Maratha and Marathi people. That identity has been forcibly snatched away by the BJP. The surnames associated with Maharashtra politics like Pawar and Patil are being replaced by Goyal, Patel and Shah. This is a political ploy.”
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar and NCP-SCP leader Anil Deshmukh have joined calls for an investigation. Deshmukh said, “There should be a thorough inquiry and the truth should come out at the earliest.” He also raised doubts about the official claim that poor visibility caused the crash, adding, “Videos clearly show the plane flying and tilting during landing. People are suspicious about visibility being mentioned as the cause. The black box has been retrieved and everything will be clear after examination.”
BJP leaders, including Ujjwal Nikam, dismissed the allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated. “It is shameful that petty politics is being done on a departed soul. We all know it was an accident. There is no conspiracy,” he said.
Investigations into the crash are ongoing. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in Delhi has retrieved the black box and is carrying out a detailed probe, while the Maharashtra CID has launched an additional inquiry. The incident has left a vacuum in the NCP at a crucial time, with talks of reunification between the party’s factions and speculation about succession continuing to dominate Maharashtra politics.
