On the first day of the Budget session of parliament, Lok Sabha on Wednesday paid respect to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five of its former members who passed away recently.
Speaker Om Birla read out obituary references on Pawar, Shalini Patil, Bhanu Prakash Mirdha, Satyendra Nath Brohmo Chaudhury, Suresh Kalmadi and Kabindra Purkayastha.
Reading out Pawar’s obituary, Lok Sabha speaker OM Birla said,”Shri Ajit Pawar ji was a member of the 10th Lok Sabha from Baramati. He served as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra six times and also discharged significant responsibilities as a Cabinet Minister and Minister of State in the state government. His contribution over eight terms in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and his unwavering commitment to public life will always be remembered. He passed away on 28 January 2026 in an air accident at the age of 66.”
Shalini Patil was a member of the Seventh Lok Sabha, while Bhanu Prakash Mirdha served in the 11th Lok Sabha. Satyendra Nath Brohmo Chaudhury was a member of the 10th Lok Sabha. Suresh Kalmadi served as a Member of Parliament in the 11th, 14th and 15th Lok Sabhas, while Kabindra Purkayastha was a member of the 10th, 12th and 15th Lok Sabhas. The Lower House was then adjourned for the day following the obituary references.
The House also expressed deep condolences on the passing of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Members observed silence in prayer for the peace of the departed souls.
Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed near the Baramati airport in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Wednesday. He had taken off from Mumbai in the morning to address four rallies in the day in the district for the February 5 zilla parishad elections.
