Supriya Sule, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP and daughter of Sharad Pawar, was seen breaking down alongside Sunetra Pawar, wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, when they met family members following the tragic plane accident that claimed Ajit Pawar's life.
The emotional clip shows Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar arriving in Baramati from the national capital, overwhelmed with grief. The chartered plane carrying Ajit Pawar and four others—including pilots and a flight attendant—crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport on January 28.
In response to the devastating news, Supriya Sule updated her WhatsApp status with the single word: "devastated."
Ajit Pawar, 66, was a nephew of long-time NCP leader Sharad Pawar and cousin of Supriya Sule. He is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar and their two sons, Parth and Jay. He served as Maharashtra's longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister in non-consecutive terms across multiple governments, including those led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, and Eknath Shinde.
Baramati, Maharashtra: NCP (SP) Supriya Sule visits Katewadi Farm in Baramati, where late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s mother resides pic.twitter.com/WjYkiOohot
— IANS (@ians_india) January 31, 2026
Supriya Sule stands by Sunetra Pawar, puts politics aside after Ajit Pawar's tragic plane crash
At Ajit Pawar's funeral, Supriya Sule stood by her sister-in-law, Sunetra Pawar. The two women shared a raw, public moment of grief, leaving political differences aside. Supporters at Baramati chanted, "Ajit dada amar rahe," as the funeral proceedings unfolded. On stage, a grieving Sunetra was shielded by her sister-in-law, while Supriya stayed close, steady, and supportive.
Later, Supriya accompanied Sunetra and her sons, Jay and Parth, to the hospital to identify Ajit Pawar's body. Sunetra moved slowly, crushed by grief, and Supriya matched her pace, arm around her bhabhi, until she herself broke down at the hospital entrance.
Political split within the Pawar family
The Pawar family's political divisions are well known. Ajit Pawar left Sharad Pawar's NCP to join the BJP in 2023. The Mahayuti alliance lost the Lok Sabha elections to the Mahagathbandhan, which included Sharad Pawar's NCP. In 2024, Ajit Pawar announced that his wife Sunetra would run as Mahayuti's candidate against Supriya Sule in Baramati, a move that sparked rumours of family rifts. Supriya Sule won the election by over 1.5 lakh votes.
Baramati, Maharashtra: NCP (SP) Supriya Sule visits Katewadi Farm in Baramati, where late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s mother resides pic.twitter.com/WjYkiOohot
— IANS (@ians_india) January 31, 2026
Ajit Pawar later admitted in 2024 that opposing his cousin with his wife was a mistake. Speaking at a Jan Samman Yatra event, he remarked, "One should not put politics in the home."
Despite their political differences, the grief following Ajit Pawar's untimely demise brought the family together, with Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar showing that family bonds can transcend party lines. Sunetra later went on to be elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Meanwhile, late NCP leader Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, on Saturday, January 31, took oath as Maharashtra's Deputy CM at Mumbai's Lok Bhavan. With her swearing-in, she has become the first woman to become the Deputy Chief Minister of the state. NCP leaders chant 'Ajit dada amar rahe' as Sunetra Pawar took oath as Maharashtra Deputy CM.
