Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s tragic death in a plane crash has left the nation in shock. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was travelling to Baramati from Mumbai by a private plane on Wednesday when it suffered a mishap while landing at the Baramati airstrip. Five people, including the crew, died in the crash.
Ajit Pawar’s death has led to speculation on social media about whether the state of Maharashtra suffers from a “curse” of sorts that has led to the demise of several major political leaders over the years. Apart from Pawar, BJP leaders Pramod Mahajan and Gopinath Munde, as well as Congress leader and ex-Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, all passed away due to tragic circumstances.
Purnia Member of Parliament Pappu Yadav also highlighted the grim nature of the tragedies when he spoke to the media. “We don’t understand, at times it was the former CM, at times Ajit Pawar. Today, the country has lost great potential, including leaders like Pramod Mahajan… Whether this is a coincidence or a conspiracy, I do not know…”
BJP leader Pramod Mahajan was killed by his brother, Pravin, in 2006. On a quiet April morning, Pravin entered his brother’s home and shot him. Gopinath Munde, another prominent BJP politician and Pramod Mahajan’s brother-in-law, died in a car crash in 2014, just days after being appointed the Union Rural Development Minister by PM Modi. Vilasrao Deshmukh, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, died after a long illness in 2012.
Several social media accounts have been pointing out the multiple tragedies that have struck the state over the past two decades. Another X user, Kumar Sahil, wrote, “From Pramod Mahajan to Gopinath Munde, and now Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra has seen the tragic downfall of its tallest leaders. Their decline reflects the harsh, unforgiving nature of the state’s power politics, where ambition often destroys legacy.”
For several people, Ajit Pawar’s death felt like a big blow. A user named Swami commented, “Never voted for NCP. He wasn’t an ideal politician .. had his fair share of controversies yet Dada’s sudden passing feels personal.” He also highlighted how Pawar was an “able administrator” and one of the “last people’s leaders” from the state.
Another account, called Yew’s Finest, said Pawar’s death was a big loss to the NCP, comparing it to how the BJP suffered after Pramod Mahajan’s death. “You cannot underplay just how critical Ajit Pawar was to the NCP & its politics in the state.” The comparisons to Pramod Mahajan reflect how the sudden death of both political stalwarts shook the nation.
X user YK Rajesh felt that Maharashtra politics seems to be going through tragedy after tragedy over the past two decades. “Maharashtra politics seems cursed—Gopinath Munde in a car crash, then Pramod Mahajan, and now Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Tragedy after tragedy shakes the state, leaving citizens stunned and mourning yet another sudden loss at the top,” he wrote.
The death of Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe was also counted among the tragedies by an account named Abhishek. Dighe suffered an accident on August 25, 2001. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment, where he suffered two heart attacks and passed away the following day. The news of Dighe’s demise led to the crowd outside the hospital where he was being treated going on a rampage, as per Hindustan Times.
Ajit Pawar’s tragic death has led many people to recall other shocking incidents when senior leaders in Maharashtra passed away, leaving behind a void in the political arena.
While the tragedies are not connected in any way, except by an outpouring of grief, the conversation about a “curse” dominating Maharashtra’s politics shows how people may look towards different kinds of reasons in a bid to ease their grief.
