Sunetra Pawar Rejects Supriya Sule's Jibe, Says Family Has Full Faith In Crash Investigation

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar said Thursday that the death of her husband, former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, should not be politicised, responding to criticism from within her own extended political family. "Who can better understand the depth of the void created across Maharashtra by Ajit Dada's passing than his children and me? Therefore, do not politicise the tragedy involving Ajit Dada," she said while speaking to reporters in Mumbai, in remarks that carried both personal emotion and a pointed rebuttal to recent political commentary surrounding her husband's death.

Her comments came a day after NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule, who is also Ajit Pawar's cousin, accused his faction of the party of "enjoying power" in the aftermath of the tragedy. At a press conference on Wednesday, Sule had also questioned why no First Information Report had been registered regarding the circumstances of Ajit Pawar's death, a remark that appeared to challenge the adequacy of the official response and investigation into the incident. Sule's comments have added a fresh layer of tension to the already complicated relationship between the two branches of the Pawar family, which have been politically divided since a split within the Nationalist Congress Party in recent years.

Ajit Pawar, who served multiple terms as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister over a career spanning nearly four decades, died on January 28 when the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land near Baramati airport in Pune district. The crash also killed four others on board, including staff members and crew. Following his death, the Maharashtra government declared three days of state mourning, and Ajit Pawar was cremated with full state honours at Vidya Pratishthan Ground in Baramati, attended by senior leaders from across the political spectrum, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

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Sunetra Pawar has since stepped into her husband's roles in both the state government and the Nationalist Congress Party, taking on responsibilities he previously held following his sudden and unexpected death. Her elevation to Deputy Chief Minister placed her at the center of both the party's leadership structure and the state's governing coalition, even as the family continues to grapple with the loss.

Addressing the criticism directly, Sunetra Pawar said that everyone involved desires a concrete resolution following the tragedy and that efforts are actively being made in that direction. She noted that she and other family members have met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the matter, stating that "everyone is aware of this." She further said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had given his word on the matter in the Legislative Assembly and was making every effort to fulfill that commitment.

On the question of accountability and investigation, Sunetra Pawar said investigative agencies are doing their job and expressed full faith in the agencies, the law, and the Constitution. Her remarks suggest an effort to project confidence in the ongoing official process while pushing back against suggestions, including from Sule, that the response to the crash has been slow, inadequate, or politically motivated. The crash has since been investigated by multiple bodies, including aviation authorities and state investigative agencies, reflecting the scale of scrutiny surrounding the incident given Ajit Pawar's prominence.

The exchange between Sunetra Pawar and Supriya Sule underscores ongoing tensions within the extended Pawar family at a moment of significant political transition. The death of Ajit Pawar, long regarded as one of the most influential figures in Maharashtra politics, has left a considerable leadership vacuum within his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, with family members now navigating both personal grief and public questions over succession, governance, and accountability.

As the investigation into the crash continues, the family's public statements are likely to remain closely watched, given the intersection of personal loss and high-stakes political dynamics surrounding the Pawar legacy.

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