Mumbai (Rajeev Sharma): Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar was sworn in on Saturday as Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister, marking a landmark moment in the state’s political history. The oath-taking ceremony was held in Mumbai, just days after the tragic death of her husband, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash near Baramati.
Following Ajit Pawar’s death on January 28, the NCP — a key ally in the BJP-led Mahayuti government — unanimously chose Sunetra Pawar to lead its legislature wing. The party’s decision was formally conveyed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who forwarded the recommendation to Governor Acharya Devvrat for approval.
Sunetra Pawar’s candidature was proposed by senior NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil and seconded by Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal during a meeting of the party’s legislature wing. The meeting took place at the ground-floor office of the late Ajit Pawar in the Vidhan Bhavan complex in south Mumbai.
At the start of the meeting, Sunetra Pawar offered floral tributes to her husband’s portrait. Her younger son, Jay Pawar, was also present. Several ministers and legislators were seen visibly emotional as they gathered at the Vidhan Bhavan complex.
Ajit Pawar, who served as Deputy Chief Minister and held the finance portfolio in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, was among five people killed in the air crash. His sudden passing created a leadership void within the NCP and the ruling alliance, prompting swift political consultations.
Until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sunetra Pawar had largely stayed away from frontline politics. She entered electoral politics that year by contesting from Baramati as the NCP candidate but lost to her sister-in-law, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule. She was subsequently elected to the Rajya Sabha, a move that set the stage for her elevation in state politics.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sunetra Pawar on assuming office. In a post on X, he described her appointment as historic and expressed confidence that she would work with dedication for the people of Maharashtra while upholding the legacy and vision of the late Ajit Pawar.
