Mumbai

The final rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be held with full state honours, the state’s General Administration Department (Protocol) said on Wednesday.

Kiran, a trustee of Vidya Pratishthan, said the mortal remains of the senior leader will be kept at the Vidya Pratishthan ground later on Wednesday to allow the public to pay their last respects. The cremation is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 11 am.

Ajit Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was killed in a chartered aircraft crash earlier in the day while travelling from Mumbai to his hometown Baramati. He was en route to campaign for the upcoming Zilla Panchayat elections when the aircraft met with the accident.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of official mourning following Pawar’s death. During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all government buildings where it is customarily hoisted. No official entertainment programmes will be organised, and all state government offices across Maharashtra will remain closed on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said the final arrangements would be made in consultation with Pawar’s family. Describing the loss as deeply personal, the chief minister said there was a “wave of grief” across the state.

“Ajit Dada was a tireless leader who stood firm in every situation. It is a very difficult day for Maharashtra. Leaders of his stature take years to emerge. His contribution to the state’s development was immense. For me, this is not just a political loss but a personal one — I have lost a close friend,” Fadnavis said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Pawar’s uncle, veteran leader Sharad Pawar, to convey his condolences to the bereaved family.

The aircraft crash occurred at around 8.48 am. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have dispatched investigation teams to the crash site to determine the cause of the accident.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, having held the post six times across different governments. Over the years, he served as deputy chief minister under chief ministers Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

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He is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar and their two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.