The death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati has sparked a major political controversy, with opposition parties alleging conspiracy and demanding a thorough investigation.
Ajit Pawar, 66, died on Wednesday when the aircraft he was travelling in crashed in Baramati, Pune district. The incident has not only created a leadership vacuum within the NCP but has also unsettled Maharashtra’s political landscape, especially at a time when talks of a possible reunion between the two rival NCP factions were gaining traction.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut questioned the circumstances surrounding the crash, claiming that doubts were being raised even within Pawar’s own party. “There is something fishy about this accident. Ajit Pawar had recently hinted that he possessed files related to BJP leaders. Soon after, a mysterious accident took place. These questions cannot be ignored,” Raut said, adding that he would raise the issue in Parliament.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar echoed similar concerns, calling Pawar’s death “suspicious” and alleging that a conspiracy may have been hatched to prevent the reunification of the NCP factions. He also questioned the haste with which political succession was decided after Pawar’s death, pointing to the swearing-in of his wife, Sunetra Pawar, as Deputy Chief Minister just three days later.
Responding to the allegations, BJP leader Ujjwal Nikam dismissed all claims of conspiracy, calling them “shameful and irresponsible.” “It was a tragic accident. Playing politics over the death of a leader is deeply unfortunate,” he said.
Ajit Pawar was leading the NCP faction aligned with the BJP-led Mahayuti government at the time of his death. While the government maintains that the crash was purely accidental, opposition parties continue to press for a transparent probe, ensuring that the political storm around the incident shows no sign of subsiding.
