Last Updated on January 28, 2026 7:28 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
AMN / MUMBAI
Maharashtra government has announced a three-day state mourning till the 30th of this month following the tragic demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati district this morning. According to the General Administration (Protocol) Department, the last rites of the late leader will be performed with full state honours tomorrow, around 11 a.m. in Baramati.
During the mourning period, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast on all government buildings across the state where it is regularly hoisted. No official entertainment programmes will be organised during this period. Markets remained closed today in Pune and several other districts as a mark of respect.
Condolences have poured in from across the political spectrum. President Droupadi Murmu described the news as deeply distressing and said Ajit Pawar’s contribution to Maharashtra’s development, especially in the cooperative sector, was historic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered him as a grassroots leader, known for his hard work, administrative acumen and commitment to public welfare.
Governor Acharya Devvrat expressed condolences to the bereaved family, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the day as extremely painful for the state, describing Ajit Pawar as a mass leader and a resilient politician.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other national and state leaders also expressed grief and paid tributes through their messages.
Ajit Pawar’s untimely demise is being described as an irreparable loss not only to Maharashtra but to the nation as a whole.