In his death, Ajit Pawar united a town that his politics had divided

Ardhra Nair & Gitesh ShelkeTIMESOFINDIA.COM

Jan 29, 2026 | 12:05 IST

As grief swept Baramati after the plane crash, political divides dissolved and a town mourned its most accessible strongman

The clock froze at 8.44am on Wednesday for residents of Baramati. Their favourite son, their Dada, a stickler for time, died trying to keep his date with his hometown. Baramatikars’ hearts had first broken when Ajit Pawar split from Sharad Pawar.

Grown men wept openly at chowks as information about his plane crash started trickling in. Shopkeepers pulled down shutters as soon as the news spread and vibrant Baramati—a taluka widely known as a city in the country—slipped into mourning.

TOI

TOI

In his death, Ajit Pawar united a town that his politics had divided

As grief swept Baramati after the plane crash, political divides dissolved and a town mourned its most accessible strongman

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TOI

In his death, Ajit Pawar united a town that his politics had divided

As grief swept Baramati after the plane crash, political divides dissolved and a town mourned its most accessible strongman

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