Bengaluru, Jan 28 Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash had left him shocked and stunned, and urged political leaders to be more cautious while travelling.
“The death of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar is shocking. I too was stunned when I heard the news of his demise. As politicians, we must be extremely cautious. We should be careful while travelling from place to place. We have lost many leaders in this manner,” Shivakumar told reporters near his residence in Bengaluru.
Recalling his association with Pawar, he said, “Ajit Pawar was a leader with highly progressive thinking. Just recently, the Maharashtra Chief Minister had said that he was extending cooperation in all works. May his soul rest in peace. May God grant the strength to bear this grief to his family members and supporters. His family has also developed close ties in Bengaluru. I had met his relatives on Tuesday.”
Shivakumar said Pawar had played a significant role in politics over the years. “Ajit Pawar was a senior leader. He left the party and returned for political reasons. I do not wish to comment on that. At present, he was serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra,” he added.
When asked about the recent spate of aircraft accidents and claims of technical faults, Shivakumar said he would wait for official findings.
“I will speak after a detailed report comes out. What do I know about technical faults? Several people, including friends from Mumbai, have informed me about the matter,” he said.
Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while condoling Pawar’s death, had demanded a detailed probe into the Baramati plane crash that killed the Maharashtra deputy chief minister and four others on board.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP central parliamentary committee member B.S. Yediyurappa also expressed grief. “Shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ji in a plane crash. My heartfelt sympathies to his family, supporters and the people of the state. Om Shanti,” Yediyurappa wrote on X.
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