Baramati, Jan 29 (IANS) In a sombre atmosphere filled with grief and chants of "Ekach Wada, Ajit Dada," Maharashtra bid a final farewell to its Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister, Ajit Pawar on Thursday. The senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was cremated with full state honours at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati on Thursday afternoon. The funeral followed a tragic aviation accident on Wednesday that claimed the life of the 66-year-old leader and four others. The last rites were performed by Ajit Pawar’s eldest son, Parth Pawar, who lit the funeral pyre at approximately 12:00 PM.

Thousands of supporters, party workers, and citizens gathered at the venue, their cries of "Ajit Dada Amar Rahe (Long live Ajit Dada)" echoing across the grounds. Earlier in the day, his mortal remains were kept at his residence in Katewadi, where a massive influx of people from across the state arrived to pay their respects. Prominent leaders, including former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, visited the family to offer their condolences to Sharad Pawar, Sunetra Pawar, and the grieving family. The funeral saw a rare gathering of political figures across the spectrum, reflecting Ajit Pawar's influence in state and national politics.

Key attendees included, Sharad Pawar a veteran leader and Ajit Pawar's uncle, apart from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Leaders remembered him as a man of his word — a "straight-talking" administrator with an unmatched grip on governance. "Whenever there was a hurdle, Dada’s one word was enough. We have lost our protective cover," remarked a supporter from the local community. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the accident occurred on Wednesday morning. Ajit Pawar had departed from Mumbai at 8:10 AM for a series of campaign rallies in Baramati taluka, including stops at Nirawagaj, Pandare, and Supa. At approximately 8:45 AM, the aircraft, instead of landing on the designated runway, crashed and was immediately engulfed in flames. There were no survivors.

The deceased have been identified as: Ajit Pawar, Captain Sumit Kapoor, Pilot, Captain Shambhavi Pathak, Co-pilot, Vidip Jadhav, Personal Security Guard and Pinky Mali, Flight Attendant. The news of his sudden demise sent shockwaves through the country. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee expressed deep sorrow over the loss of a leader who remained dedicated to the issues of farmers and the downtrodden. As the flames rose at Vidya Pratishthan, the focus now shifts to the future of the NCP, leaving a massive vacuum in Maharashtra’s political landscape.

--IANS