Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 28 (ANI): BJP leader and MP Meenakashi Lekhi on Wednesday expressed her deepest condolences over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died earlier today in a charter plane crash in Baramati.

Speaking to ANI, Lekhi said, 'I am very sorry to have learnt about this. My deepest condolences to the family. It is a very sad incident, and I can only pray for the family, because those who are left behind will continue to remember him and carry forward the work he undertook for the public good.'

Ajit Pawar, 66, died this morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

The crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate.

Pawar was on his way to Baramati from Mumbai to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.

Earlier in the day, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule arrived at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati to pay her respects to her late cousin brother Ajit Pawar.

Additionally, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were present at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati to pay their respects to the late NCP leader. Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat was also present to pay his respects.

Sunetra Pawar broke down while meeting members of the Pawar family after the untimely demise of her husband in a charter plane crash that claimed four more lives.

Meanwhile, as part of the investigation into the crash, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) officials were present at the office of VSR Ventures Private Limited, which operates the ill-fated charter plane. The AAIB team left the office after placing boxes of documents into vehicles.

Ajit Pawar's last rites will be performed with full state honours, the Maharashtra General Administration Department (Protocol) said.

Kiran, Trustee of Vidya Pratishthan, said that Pawar's last rites will be conducted tomorrow at 11 am.'The mortal remains of Ajit Pawar will be kept at Vidya Pratishthan ground for the public to pay their last respects today. The last rites will be conducted tomorrow at 11 am,' Kiran told ANI.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minsiter Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. During the three-day mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings across Maharashtra where it is regularly hoisted. No government entertainment programmes will be organised during this period. All state government offices across Maharashtra will remain closed on Wednesday, January 28.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. (ANI)