Senior NCP Leader Advocates for Sunetra Pawar's Cabinet Inclusion After Ajit Pawar's Tragic Demise
In the wake of the devastating plane crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) minister Narhari Zirwal has publicly suggested a potential new political role for Sunetra Pawar. Zirwal, a close confidant of the late leader, emphasized that there is significant public sentiment supporting Sunetra Pawar's inclusion in the Maharashtra state cabinet.
Public Sentiment and Political Calculations
Narhari Zirwal made these remarks while addressing questions about the future trajectory of the Nationalist Congress Party following the untimely death of Ajit Pawar. Speaking to a news channel after the funeral proceedings in Baramati, Zirwal specifically referenced Sunetra Pawar, noting that people are expressing a desire for "vahini" (sister-in-law) to be granted a cabinet position within the state government.
"We will engage in discussions with the party leadership regarding this matter and arrive at an appropriate decision," Zirwal stated, highlighting the procedural steps that would follow this public endorsement.
Political Context and Alliance Dynamics
The political landscape in Maharashtra adds complexity to this development. Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party remains a crucial constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which also includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. This alliance structure means any cabinet appointment would require careful negotiation among coalition partners.
Regarding the ongoing speculation about reunification between the two NCP factions, Zirwal offered an optimistic assessment. He asserted that the groups are effectively united in purpose, with members recognizing the futility of continued division, particularly in the aftermath of such a significant loss to the party.
Tragic Incident and Investigation Findings
The context for these political developments remains the tragic aviation accident that occurred on Wednesday, 28 January. Ajit Pawar and four other individuals lost their lives when the chartered Learjet 45 carrying them crashed in Baramati, located within Pune district. This tragedy follows Ajit Pawar's controversial political move in July 2023, when he aligned with the Eknath Shinde-led government, causing a major split within the NCP originally established by his uncle, veteran politician Sharad Pawar.
The preliminary investigation into the crash has yielded disturbing details about the final moments before impact. A senior official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revealed that the last audible communication from the cockpit contained the exclamation 'oh s**t', indicating sudden distress among the crew.
Sequence of Events Before the Crash
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has provided a detailed chronology of the flight's final approach:
- The aircraft reported being on the final approach for runway 11 but indicated the runway was not visible to the crew.
- This lack of visibility prompted the pilots to initiate a go-around procedure during the first approach attempt.
- After the go-around, air traffic control inquired about the aircraft's position, to which the crew again reported being on the final approach for runway 11.
- When instructed to report when the runway came into sight, the crew initially responded that the runway remained out of view but would notify when visible.
- Mere seconds later, the crew communicated that the runway was finally in sight.
- Air traffic control cleared the aircraft to land on runway 11 at 0843 IST; however, the crew did not provide the standard readback confirmation of this landing clearance.
This official account confirms that minutes before the crash, the pilot had informed the Air Traffic Controller about challenging visibility conditions around the runway area. The ATC further informed investigators that after initially reporting "no sight of runway," the pilot subsequently conveyed that the runway had become visible, shortly before the fatal incident occurred.
