Mechanical fault found in helicopter scheduled to ferry Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde

A mechanical fault was detected in a helicopter shortly before it was scheduled to ferry Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde for Zilla Parishad election campaigning in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, news agency PTI reported, citing airport authorities.

The defect was identified late on Monday evening, just hours before the BJP leader’s planned flight to Latur, an official said.

According to reports, Munde arrived in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Monday via a private jet and later that afternoon used the helicopter for campaign-related travel. However, during a routine maintenance check later that night, aviation technicians detected technical issues with the aircraft and alerted officials at Chikalthana airport, authorities said.

The helicopter was scheduled to fly Munde to Latur around 11 AM on Tuesday, but the departure was delayed by nearly two hours, they added.

Speaking to reporters, Munde said the helicopter was dated but that she chose not to complain and continued with her programme as planned.

She noted that following NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s fatal plane crash on 28 January in Baramati, air travel has caused unease among political leaders. Munde has been actively campaigning for the 7 February Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, holding multiple rallies across Marathwada.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, 66, was killed along with four others after the aircraft carrying them crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district earlier last week.

The chartered aircraft crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board. Those who died included Pawar’s personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots.

Following Pawar’s death, Munde had expressed deep grief, saying, “It is a matter of great sorrow. Ajit Dada was an active, disciplined and efficient leader and minister. Much more good work for Maharashtra could have been accomplished through him, and his sudden death is deeply painful. I understand the grief of his family because we have gone through a similar experience, and it will take time to absorb this shock.”

Several political parties have since raised serious questions over Pawar’s death and the aircraft involved, demanding a thorough investigation.

Senior Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan called for a detailed inquiry into the rising number of aviation incidents.

“Ajit Dada was a very good and hardworking leader, a man of his word,” Khan said. “We took the oath together in the Maharashtra cabinet five times and worked closely. When I proposed reservations for Marathas and backward sections of the Muslim community, Ajit Dada Pawar was the first to support it in the cabinet.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sachin Ahir also reacted to Pawar’s death, saying from Baramati, “We are completely numb and unable to believe this has happened. Just yesterday, Dada was with us. He lived a challenging life. I had the opportunity to work as a minister of state in his cabinet. Such a personality is no longer among us—it is a great loss, not just for the state and the country, but for everyone. Uddhav ji will also come tomorrow.”