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Supriya Sule Demands Police Protection for Rohit Pawar Amid Sabotage Claims

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Crash Details and Fatalities Confirmed The Learjet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed in Baramati, Pune on January 28, 2026, killing the minister and four companions [1]. The accident sparked immediate statewide mourning and extensive media coverage across Maharashtra [1]. Investigators have yet to release a definitive cause, prompting speculation and calls for a thorough inquiry [1].

Rohit Pawar Accuses Sabotage and Calls for Resignation Two‑term MLA Rohit Pawar, nephew of the deceased minister, publicly alleged that the crash may have been sabotaged [1]. He demanded that Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu resign pending the outcome of the probe [1]. Pawar also claimed that VSR, the jet’s operator, is being shielded from scrutiny, suggesting a possible cover‑up [1].

Party Leadership Seeks Immediate Security for Nephew NCP working president Supriya Sule used an X post on February 19, 2026, to urge the Maharashtra government to assign police protection to Rohit Pawar [1]. Sule warned that any delay in providing security would heighten public anxiety and undermine confidence in the investigation [1]. She framed the request as essential for the safety of a grieving political family and for maintaining public order [1].

Public Reaction and Calls for Transparent Probe The Baramati crash generated widespread grief on social media, with citizens expressing sorrow and demanding answers [1]. Sule emphasized the need for a fully transparent investigation to restore public trust [1]. The combination of mourning and suspicion has kept the incident at the forefront of Maharashtra’s political discourse [1].

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Timeline

1980s – Ajit Pawar enters politics under his uncle Sharad Pawar, building influence through Baramati’s sugar cooperatives, banks and local institutions, cementing the Pawar family’s regional power base. [1]

2009 – While serving as irrigation minister, Ajit Pawar faces accusations of an “irrigation scam” involving inflated project contracts, which he denies and never faces formal charges. [2]

2019 – Ajit Pawar briefly defects to the BJP to claim the deputy chief minister post, marking his first major break with Sharad Pawar and reshaping Maharashtra’s coalition dynamics. [1]

2023 – Ajit Pawar splits the Nationalist Congress Party, taking its name and electoral symbol while rejoining a BJP‑led coalition, deepening the family rift and creating two rival NCP factions. [1]

Dec 26, 2025 – Former Pune mayor Prashant Jagtap quits the Sharad Pawar‑led NCP faction and joins Congress, citing ideological opposition to the BJP‑RSS and loyalty to Sharad Pawar ahead of the Jan 15 Pune municipal elections. [5]

Jan 28, 2026 – Ajit Pawar’s Learjet crashes in Baramati, killing him, two staff and two crew members as he travels to campaign for upcoming local body elections; Maharashtra declares three days of mourning and Prime Minister Narendra Modi posts “shocking and saddening” on X, calling Pawar a “leader of the people.” [2]

Jan 28, 2026 – The crash occurs just before local body elections, heightening uncertainty over the NCP’s electoral strategy and the pending merger talks between the rival factions. [2]

Feb 4, 2026 – Sharad Pawar tells reporters that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis played no role in NCP merger talks, confirming that senior leader Jayant Patil and his nephew Ajit Pawar led negotiations and that a Feb 12 announcement of reunification was planned. [4]

Feb 4, 2026 – Sharad Pawar praises Sunetra Pawar’s deputy chief minister appointment and denies any decision on a memorial at Vidya Pratishthan, despite earlier claims of a planned site. [4]

Feb 12, 2026 (planned) – NCP factions intend to announce their reunification on this date, a timetable set before Ajit Pawar’s death and now uncertain. [4]

Feb 19, 2026 – Supriya Sule urges Maharashtra to grant police protection to MLA Rohit Pawar, who alleges sabotage in the Jan 28 crash and demands Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu resign, warning that delays will increase public anxiety. [3]

Feb 19, 2026 – Rohit Pawar accuses VSR, the Learjet operator, of being shielded from scrutiny, implying a possible cover‑up of the crash. [3]

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