Ajit Pawar had firm grip on administration, held him in high esteem: Mohol

Pune, Jan 28 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Wednesday condoled the death of Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash, saying that the politics of the state as well as Pune district would remain incomplete without him.

Mohol, the BJP MP from Pune, recalled that the two had a confrontation during the recently concluded municipal corporation elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad which the Ajit Pawar-led NCP had contested separately.

Pawar had targeted the BJP's local leadership in Pune over what he termed derailed development of the city.

The media asked him frequently about the allegations levelled by Pawar during the campaign, but he chose not to respond because he held Pawar in high esteem as a "leader with a firm grip over the administration", Mohol said.

Mohol and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu arrived in Pune from Delhi following the air crash in Baramati.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau teams will carry out an investigation into the incident, said Mohol. PTI SPK KRK