NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar on Friday, 4 September intensified the political battle over the investigation into the fatal plane crash of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, launching a sharp broadside against the ruling MahaYuti government and questioning the self-respect of the 40 NCP MLAs who had demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe but failed to secure one.

Rohit Pawar's Salvo at NCP's 40 MLAs

Addressing the media, Rohit Pawar said the 40 MLAs from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction had not only demanded a CBI inquiry but had also been forced to send a reminder letter to their own administration — with no result. 'It is unfortunate that even after sending a reminder to your own government, it gets thrown into the dustbin,' he said.

He was unsparing on the question of political dignity: 'If these people had any self-respect, they would have walked out of power immediately. Not everyone possesses self-respect; you have to struggle to maintain it, and that is precisely what we are doing.'

The FIR Question and State Apathy

Rohit Pawar alleged that his team had visited three different locations across Maharashtra in an attempt to register a First Information Report (FIR) related to the crash, but was ignored each time. He warned that if an FIR were ultimately filed in neighbouring Karnataka, 'the state government should feel ashamed.'

This comes a day after NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule mounted a scathing attack on the state government over what she described as official apathy, contrasting the swift action taken against Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena chief Amit Thackeray with the absence of any FIR in her late brother's crash case. The non-registration of an FIR has emerged as the central flashpoint in the dispute.

What the Government Side Said

Current Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Sunetra Pawar had responded to Sule's concerns by cautioning against politicising the tragedy, stating that the Pawar family and the NCP-SP maintained 'full faith in the investigating agencies.' Her remarks drew a sharp contrast with the opposition's escalating demands for a formal, independent probe.

Rohit Pawar's Personal Stakes

Rohit Pawar invoked his family connection to the late leader, saying: 'I am a member of the Pawar family. My surname is Pawar, and the person who passed away was my uncle. As a nephew, it is my effort to see that justice is served to him.' He added that millions of people across Maharashtra wanted a proper investigation, and that those in the MahaYuti government who once called Ajit Pawar 'Dada' had 'still failed to deliver justice.'

Notably, Rohit Pawar postponed a scheduled press conference at which he had intended to present new evidence, citing additional incoming details. The delay suggests the political and evidentiary dimensions of this dispute are still unfolding.

What Comes Next

With opposition leaders pledging to pursue the matter independently and the MahaYuti government yet to formally respond to the CBI demand, the rift between the rival Pawar factions — and between the opposition and the ruling coalition — shows no sign of easing. The question of where and whether an FIR will be registered is now as much a political test as a legal one.