¨     Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash at Baramati, Maharashtra.

¨     According to Civil Aviation Ministry, the aircraft involved was a Learjet 45 (VT-SSK). The plane was operated by VSR.
¨     The crash occurred while the aircraft was landing at Baramati airport.
¨     There were five people on board the flight. Ajit Pawar was one of the passengers. None of the five people survived the crash.
¨     Ajit Pawar was popularly known as ‘Dada’ across Maharashtra.
¨     He was a dominant and influential leader in state politics. He represented the Baramati Assembly constituency many times.
¨     He was elected from Baramati seven times beginning in 1991.
¨     His political career spanned more than three decades and he held several important ministerial positions.
¨     He led a major split in the Nationalist Congress Party and then joined the Eknath Shinde-led government.
¨     Since then, he had been serving as Deputy Chief Minister.
¨     The Maharashtra government declared a holiday across the state and announced three days of official state mourning.