New Delhi, Jan. 29 -- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday paid his last respects to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, describing his untimely demise as a profound loss for the state's politics, one that will be difficult to fill for a long time.

In a post shared on X, Shah said, "I paid my last respects to Ajit Pawar ji and offered heartfelt tributes to him. The untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji, who was dedicated to society and the people, has created such a void in Maharashtra's politics that it will not be possible to fill it for a long time."

Ajit Pawar, 66, died on Wednesday morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the...