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Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called the Baramati plane crash, which claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a "tragic incident" and noted that an official investigation is underway to determine the cause.
"It is a tragic incident. He was a senior Maharashtra leader and a member of the Pawar family, as we all know. This plane crash is subject to investigation to determine how such an incident happened and whether there was any flaw..." Chowdhury told reporters on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Several leaders across the political spectrum expressed condolences. Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Raman Singh described Pawar's death as a loss not just for Maharashtra but for the entire country. "The sudden demise of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash is a great loss for Maharashtra and the entire country. He was known as 'Dada' in Maharashtra politics. He started his political career at a very early age and served six times as Deputy CM," Singh said. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad expressed deep shock over the tragedy, calling the timing particularly painful. "We are deeply saddened by his sudden demise. There was such a big victory in the recent civic elections. This is very painful. He had become a strong pillar of the NDA," he said in Delhi. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed the incident heartbreaking and offered prayers for the Pawar family. "This is a very painful hour for the Pawar family. I can only pray to the Lord that they are given the strength to bear this sorrow," he said. Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav remembered Pawar as a disciplined and straightforward leader. "I have known Ajit Dada closely since 1990. He valued time, spoke directly, and worked hard. This tragedy has shaken all of us," he said, paying heartfelt tribute. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has dispatched a special team to Baramati to probe the crash that killed five people, including Pawar and crew members. The team will examine flight recorders, aircraft systems, crew records and Air Traffic Control (ATC) data. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning. Ajit Pawar, 66, the longest-serving Deputy CM of Maharashtra, is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. (ANI)
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