Ajit Pawar’s mortal remains brought to Baramati institute ahead of funeral

Pune: The mortal remains of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar were brought to an educational institute in Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday evening amid an outpouring of emotion, as grief-stricken NCP workers and local residents raised slogans hailing the late leader.

Slogans of “Ajit dada amar rahe” and “Ajit dada parat ya” (Long live Ajit dada; Ajit dada, come back) reverberated through the air as his body was brought to the premises of Vidya Pratishtan in his home turf to allow people to pay their last respects.

Pawar (66) and four others on board a chartered aircraft were killed when it crashed barely 200 metres from the edge of the tabletop runway at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning. His death has not only left a vacuum in the BJP-led state coalition government but also cast a shadow on the future of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which he headed.

The mortal remains, earlier kept at the Medical College in Baramati, were transported to Vidya Pratishtan in a vehicle decked with flowers. People standing on both sides of the road grew emotional, with many breaking down as the procession passed.

The last rites of the NCP president will be performed at the Vidya Pratishtan grounds, an educational institute founded by the Pawar family, with full state honours at 11 am on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, leaders from across the political spectrum and people from all walks of life are expected to attend the funeral.

A large number of people and party workers from Baramati and across the state have flocked to the town, long associated with the politically powerful Pawar family, to pay tribute to the late leader.

Manoj Wagh, a local teacher, said Baramati was still struggling to come to terms with Pawar’s sudden death. “Every development work in Baramati has the imprint of Ajit dada,” he said.