'Never Thought This Would Be Last Time I Met Ajit Pawar'

'Deeply shocked and terribly heartbroken to learn that we have lost Ajit Dada in a tragic accident.'

Tributes have been pouring in for Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who lost his life in a plane crash on Wednesday.

Expressing grief over Ajit Pawar's demise, singer Rahul Vaidya recalled his last meeting with the late politician.

He shared a video from an event where Ajit Pawar was seen enjoying Rahul's live performance, and wrote, 'This was on 6th Dec 2025 where Ajit Dada kept requesting his fav songs one after another for about 2 hours non stop! I never thought this would be the last time I met him. An untimely goodbye that feels unreal and deeply personal. Ajit Dada Pawar Gone too soon, remembered forever. May your soul find peace, Dada. Om Shanti.'

'This is a very big loss for Maharashtra'

Madhur Bhandarkar shared how the news of the plane crash has left him 'extremely saddened'.

"When I received the news of the plane crash, I felt extremely saddened," he told ANI.

"This is a very big loss for Maharashtra. He made a significant contribution to Maharashtra. I have personally met him many times as well. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family," he added.

Earlier, Riteish Deshmukh had posted on X: 'Deeply shocked and terribly heartbroken to learn that we have lost Ajit Dada in a tragic accident. One of Maharashtra's most dynamic leaders, he had zero tolerance for non-performance and constantly pushed and inspired those around him to excel.'

Kangana Ranaut: 'This is such horrible news. There are not enough words to express'

While speaking to the media, Kangana Ranaut struggled to find the right words to describe the tragedy.

"Oh my God. That's horrible. This is such horrible news. There are not enough words to express. Apne emotions ko align karke I will give a statement later," she said.

"This is really unfortunate. It is saddening that we have lost such a good leader," BJP MP Arun Govil said. "It is crucial that an investigation takes place to understand the cause of this tragic event."

• Also Read: Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: What Went Wrong?

The plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar passed away on January 28 after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district.

The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate the accident.

Pawar was on his way to Baramati to campaign for the zilla panchayat elections.

He is survived by wife Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP, and sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

Photograph curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff